Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has questioned whether Kenya is getting value for money from the latest change of police uniforms, urging the government to make greater use of existing public institutions and local capacity before outsourcing work.
Taking to his X account on Monday, Matiang’i said the government had taken a different approach when police uniforms were changed during his tenure, involving the National Youth Service (NYS) and other institutions in production as part of efforts to reduce costs, strengthen local capacity and create opportunities for Kenyans.
“Government does not always have to buy everything. When we undertook the change of police uniforms, we deliberately chose a different approach. We looked at the capacity that already existed within government and asked how we could use it better. The National Youth Service, with its vocational and technical training capacity, was part of that approach,” he said.
The Jubilee Deputy Leader also maintained that the government worked with other public institutions and private-sector players to maximise existing skills, facilities and capabilities.
“The result was a model that helped us manage costs, build local capacity and create opportunities for Kenyans. The lesson was simple: Government does not always have to buy everything. Sometimes government already has the capacity — it simply needs to coordinate it properly.”
His comments come as the National Police Service begins another transition in its uniform design, reviving debate over the cost and necessity of repeatedly changing police attire.
President William Ruto unveiled the latest police uniform on August 28, 2026, during a passing-out parade at the National Police College in Kiganjo. More than 6,000 graduating police constables were the first officers to wear the new design, with the wider rollout to general-duty officers beginning on August 31.
The latest change follows concerns raised by police officers over the previous deep navy-blue uniform introduced under the current administration. The government conducted consultations and public participation on the proposed changes in 2023 before settling on the new design.
Kenya's previous major police uniform overhaul took place in 2018 under President Uhuru Kenyatta. The process was approved earlier that year before the new Persian-blue uniform was unveiled in September.
The 2018 transition was also intended to promote local manufacturing.
NYS was involved in the production process, reflecting the government's effort to use public institutions with vocational and technical capabilities rather than relying entirely on external suppliers.
The new uniforms were expected to be introduced during the December 12, 2018 Jamhuri Day celebrations, although the nationwide rollout experienced delays, partly because of challenges involving fabric supply and production capacity.
Matiang’i said the experience should inform how the government approaches the latest transition, particularly at a time when public resources are under pressure.
“As we discuss another change of police uniforms today, we should ask a bigger question: Are we getting the greatest possible value from the resources available to us?” he said.
He argued that changing the appearance of police officers should not be treated as the end goal of public-sector reform.
“A uniform can change the appearance of a police officer. But good governance must go further. It must strengthen institutions, build capacity and ensure that every shilling spent delivers value to the Kenyan people,” Matiang’i said.
He argued that the effectiveness of government should ultimately be measured by outcomes rather than expenditure.
“The test of leadership is not how much government spends. It is what government achieves with what it spends. That is how we build a Country That Works,” he concluded.