President William Ruto is set to unveil a new uniform for the Kenya Police Service on Friday, marking the return of an earlier design after officers rejected the current navy-blue attire during a 2023 public participation exercise.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said officers will begin wearing the new uniform from Monday, with the rollout expected to continue across the country in the coming weeks.
Kanja said the change is aimed at boosting officers’ morale, particularly among recruits, and improving service delivery.
“This is going to be a force multiplier in terms of morale boosting for our officers, especially for our recruits,” Kanja said.
The President will officially commission the uniform during the Kenya Police Service pass-out parade at the Kiganjo Police Training College on Friday.
Kanja said the new attire is based on a design that had previously been agreed upon following consultations with police officers and the public.
“We have been using the blue, the deep blue one, so we have just reverted to the one that was agreed upon. I must note that on Monday, I will also be in that one,” he said.
The move is also in line with recommendations by a task force on police reforms led by retired Chief Justice David Maraga, which called for the National Police Service to revert to its old uniform for three years while a new design is developed.
“This recommendation flows from the numerous complaints voiced on the quality and supply of uniforms to the members of the three services,” the task force said.
The task force further recommended that the NPS revert to its old uniform, citing the views of the public, police officers and the service’s leadership.
“The Committee should also address the misuse of uniforms by the public,” the report said.
The previous government phased out the iconic blue police uniform, which had been used for decades, and introduced a redesigned version intended to improve officers’ visibility and promote uniformity across ranks following the merger of the Administrative Police and the Kenya Police Service.
Meanwhile, preparations for Friday’s pass-out parade are in their final stages, with recruits completing their last rehearsals ahead of the August 28 ceremony.
The recruits held a parade rehearsal on August 21 at the National Police Service Main Campus in Kiganjo, Nyeri County, after completing nine months of intensive training.
Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, who witnessed the rehearsal, said the exercise demonstrated the preparedness of the incoming officers.
“This parade rehearsal goes beyond display. It demonstrates a renewed and vibrant workforce for the service that offers a reprieve from policing workload and hope for a secure nation,” Lagat said.
The recruits demonstrated discipline and coordination during the rehearsal as they prepared to transition from training to active policing duties.
They are expected to be deployed to police stations, formations and units across the country after the pass-out ceremony.
Their deployment is expected to strengthen the police workforce and ease pressure on officers currently handling policing duties across the country.
