Former Interior Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee Party deputy leader Fred Matiang’i has questioned the government’s decision to introduce new police uniforms, urging authorities to focus on value for money rather than simply increasing public expenditure.
Matiang’i said governments should not automatically turn to procurement whenever they need to deliver public services, arguing that state institutions can often provide the required capacity if properly coordinated.
His remarks come amid renewed debate over the cost and procurement process surrounding Kenya’s latest police uniform change.
The National Police Service has defended the new uniforms as part of police reforms and said the process involved consultations with officers and the public.
In a statement weighing on the development, Matiang’i recalled the approach adopted during his tenure when the previous police uniform changes were undertaken.
“Government does not always have to buy everything. When we undertook the change of police uniforms, we deliberately chose a different approach,” Matiang’i said.
The former Interior CS said the government at the time assessed the capacity already available within public institutions before deciding how to implement the uniform programme.
“We looked at the capacity that already existed within government and asked how we could use it better,” he said.
He cited the National Youth Service as one of the institutions that formed part of the approach, pointing to its vocational and technical training capacity.
According to Matiang’i, the government also worked with other public institutions and private-sector players to utilise existing skills, facilities and manufacturing capabilities instead of relying entirely on external procurement.
He argued that the approach helped reduce costs while simultaneously strengthening local capacity and creating opportunities for Kenyans.
“The result was a model that helped us manage costs, build local capacity and create opportunities for Kenyans,” Matiang’i said.
The former CS said the experience demonstrated that government can achieve better outcomes by coordinating institutions and resources already at its disposal.
His comments come as questions continue to surround the latest uniform replacement, particularly regarding the amount of public money involved and the procurement arrangements.
Reports have estimated the cost of equipping thousands of officers with the new uniforms at billions of shillings, prompting debate over whether the expenditure represents value for taxpayers.
Matiang’i urged Kenyans to look beyond the appearance of the new uniforms and examine the broader implications of the expenditure.
“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 maintained that changing the appearance of officers should not be mistaken for comprehensive police 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.
The former CS concluded by arguing that effective leadership should be judged by outcomes rather than the amount of money spent by government.
“The test of leadership is not how much government spends. It is what government achieves with what it spends,” he said.