Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has trashed reports appearing on a section of local press claiming that there is a shortage of fabric used to make new Kenya police uniforms.
In a report on Tuesday, the Standard claimed that police chiefs have been unable to secure a suitable material for the new Persian blue uniforms unveiled by President Kenyatta a few weeks ago and whose official launch was supposed to be during this year’s Jamhuri Day Celebrations on December 12th.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, CS Matiang’i has dispelled the claims, stating that the government has already paid local manufacturers to produce the new uniforms.
Matiang’i has accused cartels of selling the narrative in order for them to get the opportunity to import the uniforms from overseas and pocket millions of shillings in the process.
“What is happening here is that some people have put us under pressure that we should import police uniform…”
“Listen to me very carefully; we will not import police uniform from any country. We must protect and promote the local textile industry. Buy Kenya build Kenya. No amount of pressure and manipulation will change that position,” he vows.
“You know, this monkey business that has been going on for some time must stop. Isn’t simply outrageous that someone is saying we don’t have material in Kenya with the kind of textile industry we have?” he poses.
The National Youth Service (NYS) has been given the contract to make more than 90,000 pieces of the uniform.
“People should stop being mischievous,” Matiang’i notes.
Kenyans want police reforms…
Kenyans want police reforms not police in new uniforms. What part of that does the boy in statehouse not get?
Tusker kila saa. Bure kabisa
The main reason to change…
The main reason to change the police uniform is for somebody to get a tender to supply the new uniform and make a whole lot of money. This is a scam.
@Kenya ,ihave to agree with…
@Kenya ,ihave to agree with you on this one.The old uniform was just fine.It is the wearers who were problematic.Transparency international still rates them the most corrupt governmental department.
Probably having them take religious lessons and ethics classes would be better if the uniforms are intended to usher in a new ,improved and disciplined police force.
Those uniforms fit Security…
Those uniforms fit Security Guards in some Village somewhere. They Stink when you look at them.???
This battle is being fought…
This battle is being fought out in the press but the culprits aka cartels you are addressing Matiang’i are two doors down from you. Go there tell them to stop it.
Are the new uniforms going…
Are the new uniforms going to bring along reforms anyway? But thank you for encouraging of buying Kenya, though money will end up in cartels’ pockets either way. Only good thing is jobs will be created locally. Period.
When you fail to plan, you…
When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. These cartels operate at their best when there is chaos and so they intentionally must have planned for this fiasco to make a killing by importing the uniforms. IG had said that NYS was going to make the uniforms, yes but using what? sourcing of raw materials is a basic for any business. As they say “kweli fundi ni fundi tu, fundi mzuri ni kinyozi pekee. The NYS “tailors” have borrowed a leaf from my village fundi who back in the days would take measurements and deposit, promising you collect your garments in two weeks. In the meantime if you pass-by his kibanda he says its almost done, pitia hapa friday jioni. Towards the end of the two weeks he “finds out” that “hiyo material imeisha, imekosa hata UG, wameacha kutengeneza kabisa. Saasa! kuna hii material ingine imetoka Turkey, China, ng’ambo (or whatever comes to his canning mind)…blah..blah…”, wanting you to buy his dusty and faded stock.
At this day and age, this is not an oversight-far from it.
It is the hallmark of sabotage, impunity cross-bred with incompetence. Gross misconduct on the part of the planners with intent to defraud the government in which they serve. I concur with @Mugikuyu these leaders should not be only seen to lament in the media and do nothing administratively where it matters. I think the leaders tend to glorify the cartels to a level of superhuman, ghosting around and that no one knows who they are. I once saw this commercial in which a guy was making copies while the copier machine with a long hand pickpocketing him-the voiceover wonders who is stealing from his business. The moral of the story is, the thief is in the office, your office. Get the moral courage to confront the thieves, that is what ethical leaders do.