Expectant Police Officers Get New Uniforms as Ruto Unveils Kenya’s New Police Look

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s police uniform is changing again, but this time the redesign comes with a provision aimed specifically at expectant officers.

President William Ruto on Friday unveiled the new General Duty uniform for the Kenya Police Service, introducing a lighter blue-and-navy design and dedicated attire for female officers during pregnancy.

The new uniform will begin a phased rollout from Monday, August 31, with more than 6,000 newly trained constables becoming the first officers to wear it as they leave the National Police College in Kiganjo, Nyeri County.

The change replaces the deep navy-blue outfit currently worn by General Duty officers.

For most officers, the new design features a light sky-blue shirt, dark navy trousers and matching headgear. Black service boots complete the standard outfit.

For female officers, the new uniform also includes dresses designed to accommodate officers during pregnancy — a change that brings maternity needs into the formal design of the police dress code.

The redesigned attire also carries the Kenyan flag on the upper sleeve, National Police Service markings, shoulder epaulettes for rank and two chest pockets. Reinforced stitching has been incorporated at points expected to experience greater wear during duty.

Why Kenya is changing the police uniform

The National Police Service says the redesign follows a public participation exercise conducted in 2023, during which officers gave their views on the uniform they were using.

Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja said the new outfit effectively returns the service to a design that had previously been approved.

“We have been using the blue, the deep blue one, so we have just reverted back to the one that was agreed upon,” Kanja said.

He said the change was also expected to improve the morale of officers, particularly those joining the service.

The first major test will come as the new recruits begin deployment after completing nine months of training at Kiganjo.

President Ruto used the passing-out ceremony to remind the officers that the significance of the uniform goes beyond appearance.

A uniform, he said, cannot by itself create a professional police service. That requires discipline, training, integrity and respect for the law.

“Be firm against crime, but faithful to the law. Exercise authority, but remain fully accountable. Preserve order, but protect freedom,” Ruto told the recruits.

APS and GSU officers will keep their current uniforms

The change will not affect every officer in the National Police Service.

The Administration Police Service and General Service Unit will retain their existing operational uniforms. The new design is initially intended for General Duty officers under the Kenya Police Service, with the wider rollout taking place progressively.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also indicated that officers will not be expected to discard their existing uniforms immediately, with the transition being phased in rather than carried out overnight.

That approach is expected to allow the service to manage the change without disrupting operations or requiring every officer to receive the new outfit at once.

A new uniform, but bigger questions remain

The redesign comes at a time when Kenya is having a wider conversation about police professionalism, accountability and working conditions.

The government has presented the uniform as part of broader efforts to modernise the service and improve officers' working environment.

But the change also raises a question that goes beyond clothing: will a new uniform make a meaningful difference to policing?

For officers, comfort, durability and suitability for different duties matter. The provision for expectant officers is also a practical acknowledgement that the service has to accommodate the realities of its workforce.

For the public, however, the test will ultimately be what happens when officers wearing the new uniform interact with citizens.

The President told the recruits that the people they encounter in their work are citizens whose rights they have sworn to protect.

That places the emphasis firmly on conduct.

The new uniform may change how Kenya's General Duty officers look on the streets from next week. Whether it changes how Kenyans experience policing will depend on the training, discipline, accountability and leadership that come with it.

The uniform is new. The responsibility is not.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.