Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has raised fresh questions over the reported cost of uniforms bought for Kenya’s police officers, putting President William Ruto’s administration on the spot over the KSh2.8 billion expenditure.
Khalwale claims the government spent KSh2.8 billion to purchase uniforms for about 60,000 police officers.
According to his calculations, that would put the cost of each uniform at roughly KSh39,000.
But the Senator is now asking Kenyans to look at the uniforms and decide whether they are really worth that amount.
“Ukiangalia hizo uniform, zinafika hiyo bei kweli?” Khalwale questioned, challenging the government to explain how the figures were arrived at.
Khalwale alleges KSh25,000 difference per uniform
Khalwale further claimed that the contractor who received the tender put the cost of one uniform at approximately KSh14,000.
If that figure is accurate, the Senator argued, there would be a difference of about KSh25,000 per uniform between the alleged production cost and the amount attributed to the government purchase.
With 60,000 uniforms involved, Khalwale calculated that the difference could amount to approximately KSh1.5 billion.
The explosive claim has immediately raised questions over the procurement process and how much taxpayers ultimately paid for the police uniforms.
However, the allegations have not been independently established, and the government or the contractor involved would need to respond to Khalwale’s claims and provide documentation supporting the actual cost and procurement arrangements.
“You expect Kenyans to clap for you?”
Khalwale appeared particularly critical of the government’s presentation of its achievements, arguing that Kenyans should not simply applaud projects without questioning how public money is being spent.
He suggested that if the figures he cited are correct, the issue goes far beyond the uniforms themselves and raises serious questions about the management of taxpayers’ money.
The claims are likely to fuel further debate over government procurement, especially at a time when Kenyans are increasingly demanding transparency and value for money in public spending.
For now, the big question remains: Did 60,000 police uniforms really cost taxpayers KSh2.8 billion, and how was that figure arrived at?
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