Of Sakaja and 'el chapo' promise: Chapati making machine finally lands in Nairobi
Nairobi schools have begun receiving meals prepared by a high-capacity chapati-making machine as part of the Dishi na County school feeding program. The initiative follows a controversial pledge by President Ruto, which faced significant public mockery and political scrutiny regarding its feasibility and delivery.
Why it matters
The project illustrates the challenges of public service delivery and the role of political accountability in local governance, particularly regarding food security for students.
More than a year after President Ruto's chapati machine pledge made him the butt of jokes, Nairobi schools have started getting chapati from a machine making 2,000 an hour. The machine sits at Toi Primary Kitchen, part of the Dishi na County school feeding programme. In March 2025, Ruto promised to buy a machine that could make 1 million chapatis a day. The promise came after Governor Johnson Sakaja asked for help feeding pupils. Kenyans mocked the pledge online and nicknamed Ruto "El Chapo." New Chapati Machine At Toi Primary, Nairobi. [David Gichuru, Standard] Some lawmakers, including Babu Owino, said the county had bigger problems to solve. By October 2025, Sakaja revealed the machine the county actually bought could only make 6,000 to 8,000 chapatis an hour, far below what was promised.
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