Police roll out new uniforms with name, and force number on display
The Kenya Police members are set to adopt the newly introduced uniform as implemented by police authorities.
The upcoming navy blue uniforms will feature embroidered names of the officers wearing them along with their force numbers.
Female police officers will have both trousers and skirts.
This recent decision from the authorities involves altering the uniform that has been in place since 2018, incurring a significant cost running into millions of shillings.
The report, issued last month by a police reform task force headed by retired Chief Justice David Maraga, suggested that the police department should return to its previous blue uniform.
The team recommended that the Cabinet Secretary for Defence collaborate with the Cabinet Secretary for Interior to create and suggest a law for forming a National Uniforms Committee.
They suggested forming a committee comprising representatives from the Disciplined and Security Services. This committee would be responsible for endorsing the standards, colors, and specifications of uniforms to be utilized by each respective Service.
“This recommendation flows from the numerous complaints voiced on the quality and supply of uniforms to the members of the three services,” the team said.
“As regards the NPS uniforms, in line with the overwhelming views of the public, police officers themselves, and the leadership of NPS, the taskforce recommends that the NPS reverts to its old uniform for three years, during which a process of designing a new uniform should be commenced by the recommendations in this Report.”
“The Committee should also address the misuse of uniforms by the public,” the report says.
The latest uniform was revealed for the first time in February of this year, worn by Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome.
The iconic blue police uniform, utilized for many years, was discontinued by the former administration.
The revamp aimed to enhance the presence of officers and establish consistency among all levels during the consolidation of the Administrative Police and the Kenya Police Service, promoting uniformity.
The majority of the committee members are representatives from security agencies, and it is overseen by the Vice Chief of Defence Forces within the Kenya Defence Forces.
Other participants consist of a delegate from the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, and National Youth Service.
The General Duty personnel decided that the team would wear a bright blue color as their official working uniform.
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Law enforcement officers, particularly those working in operational zones, also utilize jungle, green, and khaki attire.
The Administration Police Service and General Service Unit, which utilize jungle uniforms, will continue to uphold their existing attire, while other divisions within the National Police Service will maintain their current uniforms.
The current administration pledged to alter the new police attire, making it a focal point of their campaign.
During the campaign, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua pledged that the government would annul the recently introduced blue police attire.
The prior administration stated that the procedure for choosing a neutral color aimed to represent the merger and the departure from the distinct signature colors of both the former AP and the Kenya Police.
The clothing was entirely manufactured within Kenya by local textile companies located in Thika, Kitui, Nakuru, and Eldoret as part of a government initiative, Buy Kenya, Build Kenya. This initiative not only reduced expenses significantly but also supported local businesses.
This facilitated the recruitment of additional officers and the updating of police gear.
Police roll out new uniforms with name, and force number on display