Disquiet as KDF officers begin to pay for their meals in barracks
National
By
Hudson Gumbihi
| Jun 30, 2025
From Tuesday, military officers will have to dig deep into their pockets to pay for meals following the scrapping of the subsidy they have enjoyed for years.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers will now have to contend with new policy known as Pay-As-You-Eat (PAYE), which entails either paying cash for meals or having their salary deducted at end month.
The shift on funding for meals, which was proposed early this year, has been a source of murmurs.
Junior officers who have been depending on the exchequer-fund lunch will be the hardest hit. Some of them claim their shrinking payslips cannot support the new system.
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In an internal memo, the soldiers have been reminded to brace for the switch, which the government says is aimed at addressing wastage.
“Vide the above referred letter, the implementation of the subject program is scheduled to commence on 01 July 2025. In this regard, authority is granted for you to demand for Ration Scale (4) for 14 days wef (with effect from) 1st July 2025 for use as Seed Capital for the program,” states an internal memo dated June 23, 2025 and signed by Brigadier E N Kitusya.
While defending the move, the Ministry of Defence recently claimed the decision was aimed at streamlining budgetary allocations, efficiency in the use of government resources besides facilitating access to a variety of meals that suit individual preferences.
Previous attempts to move to the PAYE system have been abandoned following resistance by soldiers.
The intention to move to the new food billing system was first disclosed in January. In a memo, KDF informed the soldiers to start preparing to pay for their lunch through PAYE programme.
Additional requirements will continue to be considered progressively on a case by case basis in the next Financial Year 2025/26,” added Brig Kitusya.
While defending the move, the Ministry of Defence recently claimed the decision aimed at streamlining budgetary allocations, efficiency in the use of government resources besides facilitating access to a variety of meals that suit individual preferences.
Previous attempts to move to the PAYE system have been abandoned following resistance by the soldiers.
The intention to move to the new food billing system was first disclosed this January. In a memo, KDF informed the soldiers to start preparing to pay for their lunch through PAYE programme.
“Note that the PAYE system is scheduled to become operational on July 1, 2025. As such you are required to fast-track preparations and guidance. Accordingly, you are required to update and liaise with DHQ Insp who are to prepare a status report to be submitted to this HQ not later than February 15, 2025” announced DOD in a memo dated January 17, 2025.
The shift is the product of a committee that was established to review the current meal system that is allegedly prone to inefficiencies and infectiveness.
The committee’s mandate was to develop and recommend modalities for the successful implementation of the PAYE the system following consultations with various stakeholders.
The committee submitted its recommendations to the Service Commanders Committee Meeting (SCCM) on October 29, 2024.
Defence ministry said the money allocated to the exchequer subsidy will be rechanneled to improving officers’ messing facilities, adding that the abolished meals system was no longer cost-effective.