President William Ruto is set to unveil a new Kenya Police Service uniform on Friday, August 28, marking a return to an earlier design after officers and members of the public 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 intended to boost police morale, particularly among newly recruited officers, while 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.
President Ruto will officially commission the uniform during the Kenya Police Service pass-out parade at the Kiganjo Police Training College in Nyeri County.
Police to Revert to Previously Approved Uniform
Kanja said the uniform is based on a design that had previously been agreed upon following consultations involving police officers and members of 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 follows recommendations by a police reform task force headed by retired Chief Justice David Maraga, which called for the National Police Service (NPS) to temporarily revert to its former uniform for three years as a new design is developed.
The task force said its recommendation followed numerous complaints concerning the quality and supply of uniforms to officers.
“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 stated.
It further recommended that the NPS return to its former uniform, citing views gathered from members of the public, police officers and the service’s leadership.
The task force also called for measures to address the misuse of police uniforms by members of the public.
New Recruits Complete Nine-Month Training
The uniform change comes as the Kenya Police Service prepares to graduate a new group of recruits after nine months of intensive training.
The recruits held their final parade rehearsal on August 21 at the National Police Service Main Campus in Kiganjo ahead of Friday’s pass-out ceremony.
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 showcased their discipline and coordination during the rehearsal as they prepared to transition from training into active policing duties.
The previous government had phased out the iconic blue police uniform, which had been used for decades, and introduced a redesigned version following the merger of the Administrative Police and Kenya Police Service. The changes were intended to improve officers’ visibility and promote uniformity across the service.
