NPS denies Nalitex link to new police uniform tender

The police said the decision to change the General Duty uniform was made as part of broader police reforms.

The National Police Service (NPS) has dismissed reports linking Nalitex Limited to the procurement and manufacture of the new Kenya Police Service General Duty uniform, insisting the company played no role in the process.

NPS said the new uniforms are being manufactured by Bedi Investments Limited, which was lawfully awarded the contract following a procurement process conducted in accordance with the law.

“The NPS is particularly concerned that the media reports have introduced an entity referred to as Nalitex Limited into the procurement and manufacture of the new police uniform, yet the said entity does not feature anywhere in the NPS process relating to its development, selection, procurement or manufacture,” the Service said in a statement issued on Sunday.

The police said the decision to change the General Duty uniform was made as part of broader police reforms and preceded the procurement process.

According to the NPS, the Maraga Task Force on Police Reforms, chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga, considered concerns raised by officers over the existing uniform. Officers reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the uniform and overwhelmingly supported a change.

The task force subsequently recommended reverting to the previous uniform colours.

“The change was therefore neither sudden nor arbitrary, but one of several measures arising from the broader police reform process,” the NPS said.

Following the reforms, the Kenya Police Service Uniform Committee worked with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to develop standards for the new uniform.

As part of the Government’s Buy Kenya, Build Kenya initiative, four local textile manufacturers with previous experience supplying police uniform material were invited to submit samples. They were Bedi Investments Limited, Rivatex East Africa Limited, Thika Textile Mills Limited and Sunflag Textiles & Knitwear Mills.

NPS said only Bedi Investments and Rivatex submitted samples within the stipulated period. Following evaluation and public participation, Bedi’s sample was selected and approved through the relevant security structures.

The subsequent procurement was conducted under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, and applicable regulations, with Bedi Investments eventually awarded the contract to manufacture and stitch the uniforms.

The Service strongly rejected the reports linking Nalitex to the contract.

“This association is false and malicious,” the NPS said.

It further clarified that Nalitex “did not participate at any stage of the procurement process; was neither awarded the contract nor engaged as a subcontractor; and has received no purchase order or payment from the NPS.”

The police service said it welcomes scrutiny of public procurement but insisted that such scrutiny should be based on accurate and verifiable information.

“Such scrutiny must, however, be anchored in complete, accurate and verifiable facts,” the statement said.