CS Matiang'i: Kenya will not import new police uniforms

No importing police uniform material: Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. [File, Standard]

The Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has maintained that the government will not succumb to pressure from merchants to have police uniforms imported.

During the Tuesday address after a meeting with stakeholders, the CS said major local factories had already been commissioned to manufacture the uniform or 65,000 officers despite reports that the government was unable to find the suitable material for the new police uniform.

Matiang’i insisted everything was on course and that the government had already paid local manufacturers to produce the new uniform.

The new uniform was unveiled by President Uhuru Kenyatta three months ago and was supposed to be rolled out on Jamhuri Day.

However, by Monday police chiefs were still working extra hard to secure the fabric ahead of this week's deadline for officers to wear the new Persian blue uniforms.

It also emerged that the material was unavailable, even as security bosses visited various textile factories.

On Monday, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Interior Permanent Secretary Karanja Kibicho were spotted at the Rivatex textile factory in Eldoret.

The Government team is also said to have scouted for the material at the Rivatex outlet in Nakuru County, several factories in Thika and another in Nairobi.

It has emerged that there is a general shortage for that specific fabric. Reports indicated that the one used to make the few uniforms donned by top officials was imported.