Commander Kenya Army Lt Gen David Ketter held his first baraza with personnel based at Headquarters Kenya Army at Ngao Gardens, Nairobi and addressed various sticky issues affecting the military.
Lt Gen Ketter noted that the Army will remain committed to ensuring a soldier centric approach to enhance mission readiness.
On the recently launched Pay-As-You-Eat (PAYE) program, Lt Gen Ketter registered his appreciation that the program was progressing well since its launch on July 1, 2025.
He reiterated that KDF appreciates the critical link between its service personnel’ well-being and operational effectiveness. As such, it prioritizes the welfare of its personnel as a cornerstone for its operational readiness and institutional integrity.
“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.
This will be achieved through championing adaptive leadership, efficient resource utilisation and the ability to generate decisive outcomes in operational environments.
He reaffirmed that KDF has no intention of deducting lunch allowances directly from soldier’s payslips nor have the allowances paid through Defence Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (DESACCO), as some careless and untrue narratives have claimed.
He reminded the personnel to take advantage of the mobile app created specifically for the purpose of booking and paying for their meals.
The baraza provided him an opportunity to connect directly with the staff, sharing his command philosophy and reinforcing the importance of discipline and integrity as the bedrock of the service’s success.
He gave a reassurance that conditions in existing cafeterias within camps would continuously be improved to allow seamless walk in – walk out access.
“A supportive culture shall continually inform KDF policies and decision-making processes to guarantee that your needs are sufficiently met, enabling you to exclusively concentrate on your core duty; defence and protection of Kenya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he concluded.
He further appreciated the Service Personnel for their resilience and commitment while discharging their duties. He also urged the soldiers to embody discipline by staying prepared and executing tasks professionally and to demonstrate integrity by being honest, taking responsibility for their actions and supporting one another.
The food issue has been thorny in the service.
In attendance were Chiefs of branches at Headquarters Kenya Army, Senior Officers, Officers, Service Members and civilian staff.
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