KTN Shocking Report on the New Police Uniform Tender

A new controversy has emerged over the procurement of Kenya’s redesigned police uniforms, with investigations by both The Standard and reports by KTN raising questions about one of the companies involved in the multi-billion-shilling supply contract and its apparent links to businesses associated with President’s family.

The controversy comes just a day after President Ruto unveiled the new general-duty police uniform during a passing-out parade at the National Police College in Kiganjo, Nyeri County.

The new uniform, which features a light-blue shirt or blouse and dark navy trousers, is expected to replace the predominantly dark-blue attire introduced in 2018. The government has said the changes followed consultations with police officers and members of the public.

However, attention has now shifted from the appearance of the uniform to the procurement process behind its supply.

Company at the Centre of Questions

According to The Standard, one of the companies involved in supplying the new uniforms is Nalitex Limited, a relatively new company incorporated in May 2024.

The newspaper reported that attempts to locate Nalitex at its registered Nairobi address were unsuccessful. Its investigations also found that the company’s postal address has connections to an auditing firm and a property business associated with members of the President’s family.

The reported corporate links have generated questions about the ownership and beneficiaries of the police uniform contract.

However, it is important to distinguish between an association through addresses, contacts or business relationships and actual ownership of Nalitex.

Available company records cited in reports identify Selpha Chesimi Temoi as the company’s shareholder and director. The reporting has not established that President Ruto, First Lady Rachel Ruto or another member of the First Family directly owns Nalitex.

That distinction is important because the existence of business connections does not, on its own, establish that the First Family benefited from or controlled the tender.

Questions Over the Tender

The reported value of the wider police uniform procurement has been placed at approximately Ksh2.8 billion, although the exact value and allocation of the various lots have become part of the questions surrounding the procurement.

Another issue concerns parliamentary oversight.

Reports indicate that members of the National Assembly’s Administration and Internal Security Committee were not fully briefed about the procurement before learning about aspects of the project through media reports.

That has prompted calls for greater transparency, particularly given the amount of public money involved.

Opposition politicians and other critics have also questioned whether changing the uniforms should be a priority when police officers continue to face concerns over housing, welfare, equipment and working conditions.

The government, however, has defended the uniform changes as part of broader police reforms. President Ruto said the new design followed consultations involving police officers and the public, while the National Police Service has indicated that the new attire is specifically for general-duty officers.

What Has Actually Been Established?

At this stage, several facts are clear: a new police uniform has been introduced; the government has procured uniforms through several suppliers; Nalitex Limited is among the companies reported to have received a portion of the procurement; and investigative reporting has identified corporate and address connections between Nalitex’s records and businesses associated with people close to the First Family.

What remains unclear is whether those connections amount to a direct financial or beneficial ownership interest by members of the First Family.

That question can ultimately be answered only through the full procurement records, company ownership documents, tender evaluation documents and disclosure of the beneficiaries behind the various companies involved.

Calls for Transparency

The controversy is therefore less about the colour or design of the new uniform and more about how the taxpayer-funded contract was awarded and who ultimately stands to benefit from it.

The National Police Service and relevant government agencies are likely to face increasing pressure to explain the procurement process, identify all successful suppliers and clarify the relationships highlighted by the media investigations.

For now, allegations linking the uniform contract directly to the First Family should be treated with caution. The reported corporate connections warrant scrutiny and explanation, but a documented association is not the same as proof that the First Family owns Nalitex or improperly influenced the tender.

As more information emerges, the key issue for the public will be whether the government can provide a transparent account of the procurement process and demonstrate that the contract was awarded in accordance with Kenya’s public procurement laws.