Matiang’i raises questions over Sh3billion police uniform tender

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee Party presidential aspirant Fred Matiang’i has alleged that senior government officials exerted intense pressure on him and other top security officials during his tenure to award lucrative police uniform supply tenders to preferred individuals.

Matiang’i, who is also Jubilee Party deputy leader, made the claims while questioning the recently awarded Sh3 billion tender for General Service Unit (GSU) uniforms to Bedi Investments Limited, alleging that the procurement is being driven by the financial interests of powerful individuals in President William Ruto’s administration.

The former CS said similar attempts were made in 2018 when he served as Interior CS, but he, his then Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho and the Inspector-General of Police resisted the pressure.

“In 2018, my then PS Karanja Kibicho, then Inspector-General of Police, and I were really frustrated by those who wanted to be given the uniform supply tender, but we stood firm,” Matiang’i said.

“We were really being pushed to give them the police uniform tenders because people wanted to make money. I am just being honest with the people of Kenya. It is just a shame and sometimes you wonder whether you should reveal some things.”

Matiang’i questioned the priority given to changing police uniforms when other critical areas of policing, including digitisation, medical services, insurance and training, continue to face challenges.

“So, was changing the uniform a priority?” he posed.

He further alleged that the same interests behind the uniform tender had previously pushed for the purchase of police boots at Sh13,900 a pair, despite locally sourced boots costing about Sh4,000. He described the alleged price difference as “pure theft of public resources.”

Matiang’i also claimed that officials had sought to procure bulletproof vests at USD900 each, while similar equipment was available from other suppliers at about USD90 under Government-to-Government arrangements.

Details cited on the new uniform procurement indicate that a complete general-duty working kit will cost about Sh25,000 per officer. The kit includes a light blue shirt or blouse, deep navy-blue trousers, jacket, T-shirt, beret, sweater, socks, belt, lanyard and raincoat.

Ceremonial attire will cost approximately Sh30,000 per officer and comprises navy-blue trousers, a structured jacket, peak cap and leather Sam Browne belt.

The outgoing blue uniform cost taxpayers about Sh4,000 per set and was produced by local textile firms in Thika, Kitui, Nakuru and Eldoret under the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya initiative.

Matiang’i said the National Security Council (NSC), during his tenure, resolved that Kenya had the capacity to manufacture uniforms for its security agencies locally through institutions such as the National Youth Service and Kenya Prisons Service.

The NSC uniform committee is chaired by the Vice Chief of Defence Forces and includes representatives from the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and NYS.

He said the committee’s guidelines require compelling justification before security uniforms are changed, noting that they should generally not be replaced within 10 years because frequent changes can create security risks, including making uniforms easier for criminals to obtain.

“I haven’t seen any report from the NSC justifying the change of the uniform. I don’t see how that VCDF committee would propose a uniform change in less than 10 years of the last change,” he said.

As General Duty officers adopt the new attire, the Administration Police Service and GSU will retain their distinctive camouflage and signature uniforms to prevent confusion during joint operations, while officers in operational areas will continue using jungle, green and khaki uniforms.

Matiang’i, who has declared his intention to contest the presidency in 2027, said Kenya needed leaders committed to public service rather than those seeking to profit from government.

“If I become president of this country, I cannot use that opportunity to trade with the government I lead. I can’t be the one supplying the police with uniforms. What kind of embarrassment would that be?”

He added: “You cannot do business with the country you are leading because it is not possible.”