New Police Uniform: Officers Affected and Why They Will Start Wearing It Next Week

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has announced that General Duty officers in the Kenya Police Service (KPS) will start wearing the new police uniform next week. 

Kanja said the National Police Service (NPS) will implement recommendations from a 2023 police public participation exercise in which police officers rejected the current navy blue outfit.

President William Ruto will unveil the new uniform during the Kiganjo Police Training College pass-out on Friday, August 28, 2026.

The IG stated that the graduating officers will be the first people to wear the uniforms.

IG Kanja Explains Change of Police Uniform

He explained that the new attire is meant to conform to the needs of NPS officers.

Kanja said police officers have been wearing blue and deep blue uniforms but will now adopt the newly proposed uniform.

He added that all police officers, including himself, will wear the new uniform.

“We have been using the blue, the deep blue one, so we have just reverted back to the one that was agreed upon. I must note that on Monday, I will also be in that one,” he said.

Also Read: IG Kanja Announces Major Reshuffle in the National Police Service

Goals for the Change 

Kanja said the new uniforms will be gradually reintroduced to all general duty officers.

“In the next few coming weeks, we should see the new uniform that was approved sometimes back, and I think this is also going to be a force multiplier,” said the IG.

He said the goal is to improve morale, and subsequently service delivery.

However,  police officers in the Administration Wing and the General Service Unit will maintain their current uniforms.

Also Read: IG Kanja Issues Fresh Directives on Deaths of Kenyans in Police Cells

2022 Campaign Promise

The Kenya Kwanza coalition promised police officers during the 2022 campaigns that it would scrap the blue police uniform if elected to office.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said police officers would revert to the old uniform and abandon the blue attire.

He said the officers had suffered under former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and former PS Karanja Kibicho, accusing them of imposing the blue police uniform on officers despite their opposition to it.

“You have suffered so much at the hands of Matiang’i and Kibicho. Even the new blue uniform, which you don’t want, will be withdrawn and we will go back to the old one. The blue one will be left for the PCEA church. It is the uniform of the women’s guild,” Gachagua said at the time.

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President William Ruto inspects a guard of honour during a past Police Constables pass-out parade, Kiganjo, Nyeri County. PHOTO/PCS.