Deputy President William Ruto’s running mate, Rigathi Gachagua, has said the Kenya Kwanza government would donate the blue police uniforms to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA).
The clergy immediately condemned the remarks, calling them an insult to the Church and Kenyan women.
Addressing the Kenya Kwanza county economic forum in Nyandarua county on Saturday, June 11, Gachagua stated that the police did not like the blue uniform and promised to revoke it, claiming that it was a uniform for PCEA’s women’s guild.
“Even that blue uniform that you do not want will be removed and we will return the old ones. The blue ones will be given back to the PCEA church because it is the uniform that belongs to the Women’s Guild,” he stated.
The Mathira MP claimed that police officers had suffered at the hands of the Interior Cabinet Secretary and his Principal Secretary, Fred Matiang’i and Karanja Kibicho, and he intends to put an end to it all.
“Kibicho and Matiang’i have misused the police officers. Not a single day have they looked after their welfare. We want to assure you that the Kenya Kwanza will return your dignity as civil servants.”
The legislator also accused the government of intimidating police officers and other state officials into supporting Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate, Raila Odinga.
“We want to tell Chiefs that we have heard they are being intimidated to campaign for Raila to win with the threat of losing their jobs. Don’t worry, we only have 57 days remaining and we will give you back your jobs. We want to guarantee all officers that their jobs are safe.”
The Persian blue uniform was introduced in 2018 as part of the government’s reforms of the security agency.
