The Kenya Defence Forces has not scrapped the free lunches for its soldiers, Commander of the Kenya Army, Lieutenant General David Ketter, has revealed.
Speaking on Thursday, July 23, during his first baraza with personnel based at Headquarters Kenya Army at Ngao Gardens, Nairobi, the Commander addressed the matter that had elicited tension not just among the soldiers but also the Kenyan public.
Concerns had grown among service members and the public after the rollout of the Pay-As-You-Eat (PAYE) program on July 1. Reports claimed that the initiative was a disguised move to eliminate lunch benefits from soldiers.
However, Ketter has dismissed these reports, assuring that KDF remains committed to soldier welfare. The commander revealed that KDF had no intention of deducting allowances from payslips nor channeling funds through the Defence Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (DESACCO).
Instead, he explained that the PAYE programme was a progressive model built on freedom and personal choice.
He reiterated that KDF appreciates the critical link between its service personnel’s well-being and operational effectiveness.
“As you know, the meal allowance is the same for all ranks, Officers and Service Personnel. The PAYE program places you at the centre of making decisions about meals that suit your preference. We are alive to the fact that in the contemporary world, individuals’ food choices are profoundly personal and can be influenced by a wide array of factors”, Lt Gen Ketter said.
“KDF has no intention of deducting lunch allowances directly from soldiers’ payslips nor have the allowances been paid through Defence Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (DESACCO), as some careless and untrue narratives have claimed.”
According to reports, several soldiers who already decried a slimming payslip had resorted to skipping meals altogether just to save their pay.
However, Ketter has assured that the new programme will not affect their pay and advised the soldiers to take advantage of the mobile app created specifically for booking and paying for their meals.
The Lieutenant General also promised the soldiers that conditions in existing cafeterias within camps would continuously be improved to allow seamless walk-in – walk-out access.
The Commander's first baraza enabled him to connect directly with the staff, sharing his Command philosophy and reinforcing the importance of discipline and integrity as the backbone of service delivery and success.
