Deputy President William Ruto's running mate and Mathira Member of Parliament, Rigathi Gachagua, now says that his sentiments on the persian blue police uniform were taken out of context.
Speaking at a rally in Kiambu county on Friday, June 17, Gachagua stated his statements were not meant to disrespect the church or the police.
Further, he defended his views on the changes to the police uniform stating that two entities cannot share the same colours.
Gachagua stated that the persian blue uniforms originally belonged to the PCEA Church's Women's Guild and should not be shared by the police.
"The other day I said that we will cage the police uniform and they twisted what I said. For many years that blue uniform has been for the PCEA Church specifically for the Women's Guild. Even schools do not take the uniform of other schools," stated Gachagua.
However, he maintained that the Kenya Kwanza government will change the police uniform in the event they are elected on August 9.
Gachagua stated that the police had complained over the uniform insisting that the Ministry of Interior rushed to make the uniform changes.
"Fred Matiang'i forced the change of the uniforms and he should have known that it is a uniform for the Women's Guild and it is the police who are telling us that they would like a return of the old uniform, and we shall return it because the changes were made without their consultation," remarked Gachagua.
The lawmaker made the statements days after he came under sharp criticism for stating that the police uniform belonged to the Women's Guild and need to be changed.
In response, Interior Principal Secretary, Karanja Kibicho, hit out at Gachagua for disrespecting the police and the church.
He maintained that the changes were effected as part of the police reforms initiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“It is disrespectful for Gachagua, who as a former government administrator, knows too well the role of the Uniform Committee, to contemptuously dismiss the careful considerations that informed the new uniform.
“Uniforms are not just a matter of colour. They signify certain doctrines that must be appreciated whenever a merger occurs,” stated Kibicho.
