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.
