Babu: Ruto’s Sh2.5bn police uniform spend is misplaced priority
“Students have not entered university because their parents have no school fees. Then the government spends 2.5 billion to bring police uniforms. Is this foolishness or not?” the Nairobi Gubernatorial hopeful asked.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has criticized President William Ruto's administration for allocating Sh2.5 billion towards new police uniforms while thousands of students struggle to afford school fees and unemployment remains a pressing issue. The opposition candidate questioned the government's decision, asserting that the funds could have been directed towards job creation, factories, and other initiatives to assist young people.
"Students have not entered university and colleges because their parents have no school fees. Then the government spends 2.5 billion to bring police uniforms. Is this foolishness or not?" Owino asked during the Linda Mwananchi campaign in Meru. The new Kenya Police Service general-duty uniform was unveiled by President Ruto on August 28, with over 6,000 recruits among the first to wear the new design.
The change is based on recommendations from a 2023 public participation exercise, where officers expressed dissatisfaction with their previous attire. The new uniform, featuring a light-blue shirt and deep-navy trousers, is expected to be worn by around 60,000 general-duty officers. However, Owino questioned whether prioritizing police uniforms should be a government's primary concern, arguing that the same resources could have been used to address unemployment and improve police officers' salaries.
He suggested that the money could have been invested in manufacturing and job creation in Meru, stating that constructing 12 factories could employ over 10,000 people in the region.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
