The company contracted to make Kenya’s new police uniforms has defended the tender after the procurement process came under political scrutiny.
The Nakuru-based textile and garment manufacturer was awarded the contract to produce and stitch 58,701 General Duty 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 value of the contract but disputed claims that the tender was worth KSh2.8 billion.
Bedi said the contract was priced according to individual items and their unit costs, adding that the company had managed to reduce the cost of production.
“What I do know is that we have saved the police and the Government of Kenya more than 30 per cent of what they were paying before,” he said.
According to the manufacturer, the process started several years ago when it was invited, together with other firms, to submit samples of the proposed uniforms.
The samples were assessed before the procurement moved to the next stage. The process also involved evaluation by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and public participation carried out in different parts of the country.
Bedi said the procurement process took about four years before it was completed in 2026. Production started about two months ago, with the company currently making about 3,000 uniforms every day.
The firm has also set up measuring centres in different counties where its tailors take the measurements of individual officers before entering the information into its system.
“We are supposed to be done by the end of September, so every police officer will have their uniform,” Bedi said.
The company, which has been in the textile and garment business for more than five decades, was incorporated in 1972. It started by making tailor-made suits before expanding into textile production and garment manufacturing.
It has supplied uniforms to government institutions in Kenya for years, with its first Kenya Police-related order dating back to 1992. The firm also supplies institutional uniforms to other African countries.
The clarification comes as questions continue to be raised over the procurement of the new police uniforms. DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa has demanded details on the company awarded the tender, how it was selected and the amount involved.
Wamalwa had claimed the contract was worth nearly KSh3 billion and questioned whether changing police uniforms should be a priority when officers still face other challenges, including housing and deductions from their salaries.
There had also been claims that the tender was awarded to a relatively new company allegedly linked to President William Ruto.
The National Police Service has rejected those claims, saying the contract went to the established Nakuru-based manufacturer after a procurement process carried out under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.