How Nakuru’s Bedi Investments Won New Police Uniform Contract

By Our Correspondent

Nakuru-based textile manufacturer Bedi Investments Limited was awarded the contract to manufacture and stitch the new Kenya Police Service General Duty uniforms after an evaluation process involving local manufacturers, the National Police Service has said.

The NPS said the procurement followed a decision to replace the current General Duty uniform as part of police reforms recommended by the Maraga Task Force on Police Reforms.

The statement followed recent media reports linking another entity, Nalitex Limited, to the procurement and manufacture of the new police uniforms.

In a statement to newsrooms, Director of Corporate Communication and Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the procurement was carried out in line with the law.

“The subsequent procurement was undertaken in accordance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, the applicable regulations and procedures, and M/s Bedi Investments Limited was awarded the contract to manufacture and stitch the new General Duty uniforms,” Nyaga said.

He said four Kenyan textile manufacturers with previous experience supplying police uniform material were invited to submit samples under the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya initiative.

They were Bedi Investments Limited, Rivatex East Africa Limited, Thika Textile Mills Limited and Sunflag Textiles & Knitwear Mills.

According to the NPS, only Bedi Investments and Rivatex East Africa submitted samples within the deadline. The samples were then evaluated and taken through public participation before Bedi’s product was selected.

The NPS said the approved sample was then taken through the relevant security structures before the procurement process moved to the award stage.

It said the decision to change the uniform had been made before procurement began and was part of the wider police reform programme, not a separate procurement decision.

“The decision to change the General Duty uniform preceded the procurement and formed part of the wider police reform programme considered by the Maraga Task Force on Police Reforms, chaired by Chief Justice Emeritus David Maraga,” he said.

Nyaga said police officers were consulted during the reform process and had expressed dissatisfaction with the current uniform, with many preferring a return to the previous uniform colours.

The NPS said the change was one of several measures that came out of the reform process.

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

The NPS said it was concerned by reports linking Nalitex Limited to the procurement process, saying the company was not part of it.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the entity referred to in the media reports as Nalitex Limited 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,” Nyaga said.

The service said it welcomed legitimate media and public scrutiny of the use of public resources, but urged that such scrutiny be based on complete and verifiable information.

It said linking the police procurement process to a company that does not appear in the procurement records could mislead the public.

The spokesman described the reported association with Nalitex Limited as false and malicious, and said procurement records clearly identified Bedi Investments Limited as the contracted manufacturer.

He also reaffirmed the service’s commitment to the wider police reform programme and to transparency, accountability and responsible use of public resources.

“The NPS remains committed to implementing the wider police reform programme and to transparency, accountability and the responsible use of public resources,” Nyaga said in the statement.

The clarification comes as the government continues to promote local manufacturing and public procurement from Kenyan enterprises, with the NPS saying the uniform contract was awarded within that framework.