Interior PS Karanja Kibicho has responded to the comments made by Kenya Kwanza's running mate Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday about the recently introduced police uniform.
Kibicho says the new police uniform was approved by the Uniforms Committee following the merger of the Administration Police and the Kenya Police Force for greater efficiency.
Gachagua had pledged drastic reforms in the police service that will include revoking the new blue police uniform if they win the coming elections.
He had stated the police did not like the blue uniform, promising to reintroduce the old ones and likened the uniform to church uniforms and hence the reason for his call for replacement.
"Even that blue uniform that you do not want will be removed and we will return the old ones. The blue ones will be given back to the PCEA church because it is the uniform that belongs to the Women's Guild," Gachagua had said.
Kibicho said casting aspersions on the uniform and disparaging the Church in the process for political mileage is unfortunate ridicule for venerable institutions.
He further said the new police uniform is 100 per cent made in Kenya by factories in Eldoret, Nakuru, Thika and Kitui, among others under a deliberate Buy Kenya, Build Kenya policy.
"Our officers now are better kitted at much lower costs. The policy has tremendously grown the local textile industry and created many direct and indirect jobs that support thousands of families," Kibicho said.
He argued that the Government's bias toward local manufacturers has also frustrated entrenched cartels that for long years profited from endemic corruption in public procurement.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance Secretary General Junet Mohamed also responded to Gachagua saying the MP and his boss William Ruto want to reap big from the tender of new uniforms they will issue to the police once they win.
"I have seen Gachagua taking a swipe at police officers. He said they are dressed in uniforms that are not worthy. Please respect police officers. They are very important people here in Kenya," Junet said.
