Police officers overwhelmingly preferred a return to the old National Police Service uniform, which they associated with professional pride, a report by the National Taskforce on Police Reforms led by former Chief Justice David Maraga reveals.
The preference emerged during nationwide hearings and consultations in which the Taskforce received oral and written submissions from NPS leadership, the National Uniforms Committee, officers from various cadres, key stakeholders and members of the public.
“Officers of NPS and the public overwhelmingly expressed their displeasure with the current uniform. Many noted that the colour and quality of the uniform does not communicate professionalism, confidence and pride in the Service. The Taskforce was informed that the new uniform had left NPS officers looking like civilian guards,” the report reads in part.
The uniform was changed in 2018 as part of broader reforms and restructuring by the Ministry of Interior and the Service. The changes followed the transfer of a large number of officers from the Administration Police Service to the Kenya Police Service and the reassignment of roles and duties to various units.
The new attire was adopted “to ensure smooth transition and integration and to avoid sibling rivalry.”
However, officers told the Taskforce they had not been consulted or involved before the decision was communicated.
The National Uniforms Committee also informed the Taskforce that the current NPS uniform had not been approved by the committee. Although not established by law, the committee is responsible for approving uniforms in the disciplined services to distinguish one service from another.
The consultations also exposed significant gaps in the supply of uniform kits and accompanying items. Officers reported that supplies were inadequate and often failed to reach junior officers, who were at the tail end of the distribution process.
Since officers are not permitted to wear civilian attire while on duty, some were forced to buy their own uniforms and other items. Shortages also led officers to purchase fabric and pay tailors to make their uniforms, resulting in variations in colour, quality and fit across the country.
The Taskforce linked the situation to poor morale among NPS officers and warned of wider security implications.
“The current situation where officers are tailoring their own uniforms also poses a security risk as police uniforms can now be easily available to criminals,” it stated.
It further found that a lack of standardisation could leave members of the public unable to easily identify police officers, undermining one of the key functions of a police uniform.
The Taskforce also found that uniforms worn by some specialised units had not been approved by the National Uniforms Committee. It noted that National Police Reservists had no prescribed uniform and were not supplied with uniforms by the Service, with some receiving surplus or used items.
Against this backdrop, the Taskforce recommended that the NPS revert to its old uniform for three years while a process of designing a new uniform was commenced.
It called for public and officer participation in determining future uniforms, as well as proper approval and quality control. It also recommended adequate and regular supply of uniforms and automation of the supply, issuance and distribution process.
Any new uniforms for the NPS or specialised units, it recommended, should undergo the prescribed approval process, including public and officer participation.
“Appropriate and smart official attire for NPS not only enhances the confidence of officers but also earns members of the Service the public respect they require to enable them to discharge their functions,” the Taskforce observed.
