A Nakuru-based textile company contracted to make Kenya’s new police uniforms has defended the tender after questions were raised over the procurement process and the cost of the deal.
The company confirmed that it was awarded the contract to produce and stitch 58,701 police uniforms, with the work expected to be completed by the end of September 2026.
The firm’s Managing Director, Jaswinder Bedi, declined to reveal the total value of the contract but rejected claims that the tender was worth KSh2.8 billion.
Bedi explained that the contract was based on individual uniform items and their agreed unit prices. He also claimed that the company had helped the government save more than 30 per cent compared with previous costs.
The company said it was initially invited, together with other manufacturers, to submit samples of the proposed uniforms. The samples were evaluated before the procurement process moved to the next stage.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards was also involved in evaluating the samples, while public participation was conducted in different parts of the country.
According to the company, the procurement process took about four years before being completed in 2026. Production began roughly two months ago, with the manufacturer currently producing about 3,000 uniforms every day.
The company has also established centres in different counties where officers are measured before their details are entered into its system.
The manufacturer said it has operated in the textile and garment industry for more than five decades. It was incorporated in 1972 and has supplied uniforms to Kenyan government institutions for many years.
The company has come under scrutiny following questions from opposition leaders over how the tender was awarded and how much it cost.
Some political leaders had claimed that the contract was worth nearly KSh3 billion and called for greater transparency.
The National Police Service has, however, maintained that the tender was lawfully awarded to the established Nakuru-based manufacturer through a procurement process conducted under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.
The controversy comes shortly after President William Ruto unveiled the new police uniforms, which have attracted public debate over their design and cost.