KDF Officers to Start Paying for Food from Tuesday as Pay-As-You-Eat Policy Begins
- KDF officers are set to experience a major shift in how daily meals are accessed under a new government directive
- A long-standing military tradition is being phased out as part of broader reforms in resource management
- A source from KDF told TUKO.co.ke that the meal support is crucial, describing it as a vital lifeline for many officers
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers will no longer receive free lunch starting Tuesday, July 1, following a major policy shift by the government from a fully subsidised meal programme to a Pay-As-You-Eat (PAYE) model.
Source: Getty Images
The move, aimed at streamlining budgetary allocations and improving efficiency in resource use, will see soldiers now pay for their lunch either directly in cash or through monthly salary deductions.
This marks the end of a long-standing lunch subsidy that many junior officers have heavily relied on for years.
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"It is not a joke. That food really helped us survive," a source from KDF told TUKO.co.ke.
The ration cash allowance was first introduced in the KDF in 2000 after the discontinuation of state-funded breakfast and dinner.
The lunch subsidy, which remained in place, has been revised over time to cushion officers against rising living costs.
Why is KDF adopting Pay-As-You-Eat system?
The Ministry of Defence says the new system is designed to provide flexibility, reduce long queues, and eliminate inefficiencies such as duplication of ration scales for officers posted to different locations.
According to the ministry, the change also aligns Kenya's military operations with what it calls best practices adopted in other regional and international defence forces.
A letter dated June 23 and signed by Chief of Logistics Brigadier Eric Nzioki Kitusya, Kenya Army Headquarters, outlined the operational rollout of the PAYE system beginning July 1.
Units have been instructed to use existing infrastructure and amenities to support the new programme, with additional needs to be addressed on a case-by-case basis in the 2025/2026 financial year.
To kick-start the initiative, KDF units were granted authority to demand 14 days’ worth of rations as seed capital, which is expected to form a self-sustaining revolving fund managed by designated committees.
"In this regard, authority is granted to you to demand Ration Scale Four (4) for fourteen (14) days with effect from 1st July 2025 for use as seed capital for the program. Your demands to reach this Headquarters not later than June 25, 2025," the letter read in part.
Despite government justification, the new directive has sparked concern among lower-ranking service members, many of whom fear the financial burden of the change.
"There is food that is usually provided for officers who go on duty outside the camp, like sentries and parades. How will that work now? You can't expect an officer who is struggling to feed himself and his family to stay on a parade for one or two hours. It will be difficult," said the source.
Did Ruto make changes to military leadership?
Meanwhile, President William Ruto announced a series of high-level military appointments and promotions across the Kenya Defence Forces, marking a significant reshuffle in the country’s security leadership.
Source: AFP
Major General David Kipkemboi Ketter was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and appointed as the new commander of the Kenya Army. He takes over a critical role in overseeing land-based military operations.
In another key appointment, Brigadier Joel Muriungi M'arimi was elevated to major general and named the new commandant of the Kenya Military Academy. Prior to this, he served as the commander of the Armoured Brigade.
Brigadier Joyce Chelang’at Sitienei was also promoted to major general. She will serve as the deputy vice chancellor at the Centre for Strategic and Security Studies at the National Defence University–Kenya (NDU-K), a role that blends academic leadership with national security strategy.
Meanwhile, Major General Benard Waliaula was appointed as the new commander of the Kenya Air Force. He succeeds Major General Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed, who has retired after a distinguished 42-year career in the military.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
