In September 2018, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the change of the police uniform as part of the reforms in the National Police Service which included the renaming of key training institutions.
In 2019, former police spokesman Charles Owino stated that all the officers will have to get the locally manufactured blue uniform by end of 2021.
However, William Ruto’s presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday, June 11, promised to revoke the new blue police uniform if Kenya Kwanza forms the next government.
Gachagua, who was addressing the Kenya Kwanza county economic forum in Nyandarua, said that the new police uniforms belongs to PCEA’s women’s guild.
The Mathira MP further took a swipe at Interior PS Karanja Kibicho and his boss Fred Matiang’i accusing them of intimidating the police officers by compelling them to support the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential flag bearer, Raila Odinga.
“Mumesumbuliwa sana na Matiang’i na Kibicho. Ata ile uniform ya blue ambayo hamutaki, tutawaondolea tuwarudishie ile ya Kitambo. Hiyo ya blue tutarudishia kanisa ya PCEA. Hiyo ni uniform ya women’s guild,” Gachagua said.
Loosely translated to “You have gone through a lot at the hands of CS Matiang’i and PS Kibicho. We will change the blue uniform that our officers do not want and revert to the previous one. We will return the blue one to PCEA church. It is the PCEA women’s guild uniform.”
On Sunday, June 5, Gachagua left Kenyans talking after suggesting that police officers deserve a better job than what they are doing currently.
The vocal legislator said that if the Kenya Kwanza alliance forms the next government, they will increase the salaries of police officers so they can go back to school to pursue degrees and secure decent jobs.
“For police officers, we shall look into their issues, we plan to increase their salaries and allowances so that they pursue degrees and get a job,” Rigathi said.
