NAIROBI, Kenya—The National Police Service has denied reports linking Nalitex Limited to the KSh2.8 billion procurement of new Kenya Police Service General Duty uniforms, saying the company neither participated in the tender nor received any contract or payment from the service.
The NPS described the reports linking Nalitex to the procurement as false and malicious, insisting that Bedi Investments Limited was awarded the contract to manufacture and stitch the new uniforms.
In a statement, NPS Director of Corporate Communication Muchiri Nyaga said Nalitex did not feature at any stage of the process, including the development, selection, procurement or manufacture of the new police uniform.
“The NPS is particularly concerned 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 statement said.
The police service said the decision to replace the existing General Duty uniform was not made specifically for the current procurement, but formed part of wider reforms recommended by the Maraga Task Force on Police Reforms chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga.
According to the NPS, police officers were consulted during the reform process and expressed widespread dissatisfaction with the existing uniform, with many preferring a return 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,” said the service.
The NPS said its Uniform Committee subsequently worked with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to develop standards for the new uniform.
Four local textile manufacturers with previous experience supplying police uniform material were then invited to submit samples.
They were Bedi Investments Limited, Rivatex East Africa Limited, Thika Textile Mills Limited and Sunflag Textiles & Knitwear Mills.
The service said only Bedi Investments and Rivatex submitted samples within the stipulated period.
Following evaluation and public participation, the NPS said Bedi Investments’ sample was selected and subsequently approved through the relevant security structures.
The procurement was then undertaken under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, and applicable regulations, according to the police service.
The NPS said Bedi Investments was ultimately awarded the contract to manufacture and stitch the new General Duty uniforms.
The service was categorical that Nalitex did not participate in the tender, was not awarded the contract and was not engaged as a subcontractor.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the entity referred to in the media reports 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 statement said.
The denial comes amid growing public and political scrutiny of the new police uniform, particularly over the cost of the programme, the identity of the contractor and the procurement process.
Opposition politicians and other critics have questioned aspects of the tender and called for greater transparency over the contract.
The NPS’s latest statement seeks to clarify the identity of the company contracted to undertake the work, while distancing the service from claims that Nalitex was involved in the procurement.
The controversy is expected to remain under scrutiny as questions continue to be raised over the cost and procurement of the new police uniforms.
