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.

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.

"It is not a joke. That food really helped us survive," a source from KDF told .

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.

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.

More to follow...

Source: TUKO.co.ke