IG Japhet Koome was photographed in a light blue shirt while meeting with his deputy, Noor Gabow, and Chief Justice Martha Koome, among other Supreme Court officials.
This new colour is a slight shift from the all-royal blue uniforms that police officers have been wearing since 2018 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the phasing out of the old police uniform. The government stated at the time that this was to increase police visibility and create uniformity across all ranks during the merger of the Administration Police and the Kenya Police.
Any change in the police uniforms met with resistance from Kenyans. Former president uhuru kenyatta made changes to the police uniforms four years ago, saying that the new dark blue uniforms would ensure better visibility of the officers when they were out carrying their duties.
Social media went into a frenzy after these changes calling the new uniforms ugly. Deputy president rigathi gachagua compared them to the gowns worn by the Women’s Guild of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA.
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Kenyans still need to be happier with this new change, and one Kenyan tweeted that The new police service uniform looks good. Still, those lanyards (especially the multicoloured ones put on by senior officers) need to go. A service branch/unit logo on their sleeves is enough.
Another one complained that the country was going through a famine crisis, with bandits killing people and casing havoc but changing police uniforms is what the government chose to put money into.
Another tweeter user asked whether changing police uniforms equates to reforms adding that Kenyans need reforms in the police sector and not a change in uniforms. Instead of changing police uniforms, the government should prioritize addressing hunger and high living costs.
Others wanted the government to involve the public in making decisions about police uniforms.
