How government bypassed Maraga report on police uniforms
The Kenyan government has faced criticism for introducing new police uniforms before the three-year transition period recommended by the Maraga Taskforce. The report had suggested keeping the old uniforms to allow for a more collaborative design process.
Why it matters
The controversy highlights tensions between government policy implementation and independent reform recommendations regarding police professionalism.
Officers don the new general service police uniforms unveiled by President William Ruto in Kiganjo on Friday, August 28, 2026. /PCS The government's decision to introduce new police uniforms has brought fresh scrutiny to the handling of recommendations made nearly three years ago by the taskforce on police reforms led by former Chief Justice David Maraga.
The full Maraga Taskforce report, released on Monday, revealed that it had recommended that the National Police Service (NPS) revert to its old uniform for three years before embarking on a process to design a new one.
President William Ruto unveiled new uniforms for general-duty police officers on Friday, August 28, just two years and nine months after Maraga submitted the report to him at State House, Nairobi, on November 16, 2023.
This means the new uniforms were introduced before the three-year period of usage of old outfits recommended by the Taskforce had elapsed.
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