IG Douglas Kanja says General Duty police officers will start wearing a new uniform from Monday, August 31, with President Ruto unveiling the look at Friday's Kiganjo pass-out parade.
General Duty officers under the Kenya Police Service (KPS) are set to begin wearing a new uniform from next week, after the National Police Service (NPS) adopted recommendations arising from a 2023 public participation exercise in which officers rejected the current deep navy blue outfit.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said the new look will be formally unveiled by President William Ruto during the passing-out parade for police constables at the Kenya Police Training College in Kiganjo on Friday, August 28, 2026. More than 6,000 constables who have completed training are expected to graduate at the event, and will be the first to wear the new attire.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 26, after inspecting preparations for the parade, Kanja said the new uniform is in fact a return to a design that had previously been approved for General Duty officers.
"We have been using the blue, the deep blue one, so we have just reverted back to the one that was agreed upon. I must note that on Monday, I will also be in that one," Kanja said.
According to the IG, officers across the service will begin transitioning into the new attire from Monday, August 31, with a full national rollout expected to continue over the coming weeks.
Officers serving in the Administration Police Service and the General Service Unit will retain their current uniforms, as the change applies specifically to General Duty officers within the Kenya Police Service.
The uniform switch also lines up with a recommendation from the police reforms task force led by retired Chief Justice David Maraga, which had called on the NPS to revert to its earlier uniform for a period while a new design is finalised, citing persistent complaints over the quality and supply of uniforms across the three services.
Kanja framed the change as a morale booster as much as a practical one. "In the next few weeks, we should see the new uniform that was approved some time back, and I think this is also going to be a force multiplier," he said, adding that he expects it to translate into improved morale and service delivery among officers.
The current navy-blue hybrid uniform — a light-blue shirt paired with navy-blue trousers — was introduced in February 2023 under then-Inspector General Japhet Koome, before officers pushed back on it during that year's public participation exercise.
Beyond the uniform announcement, Kanja used Tuesday's briefing to caution the more than 6,000 graduating constables against engaging in criminal activity or acting at the direction of individuals, especially as Kenya heads toward the General Election. He urged the new officers to uphold professionalism and operate strictly within the law as they begin active duty.
Friday's parade at Kiganjo will therefore serve a dual purpose — marking the formal entry of the new recruits into the National Police Service, and providing the platform for President Ruto to launch the new General Duty uniform.