Eng'iti
Elder Lister
×
A commissioning parade of over 320 specialists and General Service Officer (GSO) cadets matching at the Kenya Military Academy Lanet on May 31, 2024. [Ken Gachuhi, Standard].
A storm is brewing within the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) after the government moved to deduct lunch allowances directly from soldiers’ payslips in a forced rollout of the Pay-As-You-Eat (PAYE) meal policy.
The policy, communicated in late June and effective from August 1, scraps the long-standing tradition of subsidised mess meals and introduces a digital booking system that many in uniform have resisted.
Starting August, the Treasury will forcibly deduct lunch money from soldiers’ salaries, locking a portion of it in a military-managed app.
“It’s no longer a choice,” said an officer based in Eldoret, who requested anonymity. “They’ve decided to force-feed us through deductions.”
Military bosses say the change aims to curb loan commitments on allowances and instill personal finance discipline. However, many junior officers argue that the move amounts to daylight robbery, robbing them of autonomy over their salaries.
For years, subsidised mess meals were seen as a non-negotiable right for KDF personnel. “When not deployed, the monthly allowance is Sh2,260, rising to Sh2,760 in the field,” an officer told The Standard.
Soldiers, especially those in lower ranks, had depended on mess meals as a lifeline.
The Ministry of Defence announced in a June 23 letter that meal allowances would now be paid through DESACCO (Defence Savings and Credit Co-operatives Society), with half locked into a mobile app and released only at month-end. The policy aimed to create a revolving fund for the PAYE committees, but the outcome has been a widespread boycott. At several barracks, mess halls now sit empty.
“People skip lunch or carry food from home. Others squeeze into vibandas near camps,” said a private from Lang’ata Barracks. “We train from 5am. How do you march or go to the range on an empty stomach?”
Despite soldier resistance, the government has opted to tighten control. From next month, lunch deductions will be automatic and partially inaccessible for use until month-end.
To many KDF personnel, the lunch row is just the latest in a string of salary deductions squeezing public servants across the country. Since 2023, President William Ruto’s administration has introduced tax and levy measures that have significantly reduced take-home pay.
These include the controversial Housing Levy (1.5 per cent of gross salary), revised NSSF contributions (of up to Sh2,160), the new Social Health Insurance Fund (2.75 per cent), and a steep 35 per cent income tax for those earning above Sh800,000 monthly.
Now, with plans to introduce the Unemployment Insurance Fund and continued pressure from Higher Education Loans Board and Sacco deductions, workers say they are left with less each month to meet rising living costs.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sharply criticised the policy environment. “We want to rescue the payslip. The payslip iliguzwa na iko shida mingi sana (has many problems),” he said.
Observers warn that the morale of uniformed officers is at risk. “This is a welfare issue with national security implications,” a retired officer said. “You cannot expect fatigued and underfed men and women to defend the republic.”
The Ministry of Defence maintains the PAYE system will streamline costs and improve efficiency. “The decision to transition from the exchequer-funded lunch programme to PAYE was driven by the need to streamline budget allocations,” the ministry said.
But officers say that behind the fiscal speak lies a deeper crisis. “The mess is nearly empty. Those still eating there are mostly officers. The rest of us are choosing between food and sending money home,” said a soldier from Laikipia.
The Standard has previously reported on declining conditions in the military: grounded aircraft, delayed promotions, and decades-old tanks still on parade. Meanwhile, billions allocated to the KDF remain unaudited, raising questions over transparency and spending priorities.
With barracks already simmering, the forced deduction of lunch allowances risks boiling over into wider unrest within the ranks.
Fury in barracks over KDF lunch allowance cuts
By Benjamin Imende | Jul. 22, 2025
A storm is brewing within the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) after the government moved to deduct lunch allowances directly from soldiers’ payslips in a forced rollout of the Pay-As-You-Eat (PAYE) meal policy.
The policy, communicated in late June and effective from August 1, scraps the long-standing tradition of subsidised mess meals and introduces a digital booking system that many in uniform have resisted.
Starting August, the Treasury will forcibly deduct lunch money from soldiers’ salaries, locking a portion of it in a military-managed app.
“It’s no longer a choice,” said an officer based in Eldoret, who requested anonymity. “They’ve decided to force-feed us through deductions.”
Military bosses say the change aims to curb loan commitments on allowances and instill personal finance discipline. However, many junior officers argue that the move amounts to daylight robbery, robbing them of autonomy over their salaries.
For years, subsidised mess meals were seen as a non-negotiable right for KDF personnel. “When not deployed, the monthly allowance is Sh2,260, rising to Sh2,760 in the field,” an officer told The Standard.
Soldiers, especially those in lower ranks, had depended on mess meals as a lifeline.
The Ministry of Defence announced in a June 23 letter that meal allowances would now be paid through DESACCO (Defence Savings and Credit Co-operatives Society), with half locked into a mobile app and released only at month-end. The policy aimed to create a revolving fund for the PAYE committees, but the outcome has been a widespread boycott. At several barracks, mess halls now sit empty.
“People skip lunch or carry food from home. Others squeeze into vibandas near camps,” said a private from Lang’ata Barracks. “We train from 5am. How do you march or go to the range on an empty stomach?”
Despite soldier resistance, the government has opted to tighten control. From next month, lunch deductions will be automatic and partially inaccessible for use until month-end.
To many KDF personnel, the lunch row is just the latest in a string of salary deductions squeezing public servants across the country. Since 2023, President William Ruto’s administration has introduced tax and levy measures that have significantly reduced take-home pay.
These include the controversial Housing Levy (1.5 per cent of gross salary), revised NSSF contributions (of up to Sh2,160), the new Social Health Insurance Fund (2.75 per cent), and a steep 35 per cent income tax for those earning above Sh800,000 monthly.
Now, with plans to introduce the Unemployment Insurance Fund and continued pressure from Higher Education Loans Board and Sacco deductions, workers say they are left with less each month to meet rising living costs.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sharply criticised the policy environment. “We want to rescue the payslip. The payslip iliguzwa na iko shida mingi sana (has many problems),” he said.
Observers warn that the morale of uniformed officers is at risk. “This is a welfare issue with national security implications,” a retired officer said. “You cannot expect fatigued and underfed men and women to defend the republic.”
The Ministry of Defence maintains the PAYE system will streamline costs and improve efficiency. “The decision to transition from the exchequer-funded lunch programme to PAYE was driven by the need to streamline budget allocations,” the ministry said.
But officers say that behind the fiscal speak lies a deeper crisis. “The mess is nearly empty. Those still eating there are mostly officers. The rest of us are choosing between food and sending money home,” said a soldier from Laikipia.
The Standard has previously reported on declining conditions in the military: grounded aircraft, delayed promotions, and decades-old tanks still on parade. Meanwhile, billions allocated to the KDF remain unaudited, raising questions over transparency and spending priorities.
With barracks already simmering, the forced deduction of lunch allowances risks boiling over into wider unrest within the ranks.