President William Ruto has promised to acquire a high-capacity chapati-making machine for Nairobi’s ‘Dishi Na County’ school feeding program. The announcement came during his visit to St Teresa Girls Secondary School in Mathare on Tuesday, where he was accompanied by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The pledge follows calls from students who requested that chapati be included in the program’s menu. Governor Sakaja acknowledged the demand but highlighted the logistical challenge of producing enough chapatis to meet the needs of over 300,000 children currently benefiting from the initiative.
“Over 300,000 children are benefiting from the program; that means we need a machine to produce a million chapatis every day. I have asked the President for it,” Sakaja said.
In response, President Ruto assured the governor and students that his administration would support the initiative by acquiring the necessary machinery. The chapati-making machine is expected to significantly boost food production and expand the reach of the feeding program, which has been instrumental in ensuring that schoolchildren in Nairobi receive at least one nutritious meal daily.
The ‘Dishi Na County’ program, launched by Governor Sakaja, aims to provide free school meals to students in public primary schools and Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers. It has been credited with increasing school attendance and improving nutrition among children in low-income areas.
By promising the chapati-making machine, Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting school feeding initiatives across the country. The move aligns with the broader agenda of enhancing food security and improving educational outcomes through nutrition.
However, the success of this promise will depend on its implementation. Questions remain about the timeline for acquiring and installing the machine, as well as the sustainability of providing chapatis daily given the costs associated with ingredients and logistics.
If realized, the initiative could set a precedent for large-scale school feeding programs in Kenya and inspire similar efforts in other counties. Parents and education stakeholders will be keenly watching to see how quickly the government fulfills this promise and how it impacts the overall effectiveness of the program.
