Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino, has criticised Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for asking President William Ruto to provide a chapati-making machine on March 11.
In a statement on his official X account on March 12, Owino argued that Sakaja should have made more meaningful requests.
"Of all the things that are disturbing Nairobians, Sakaja asked for a chapati printing machine from the President to print 1 million chapatis in a day," Owino said.
He pointed out that instead of focusing on the chapati-making machine, Sakaja should have addressed serious issues in Nairobi’s health sector, poor drainage, and bad roads.
Owino also noted that Sakaja could have raised concerns about water shortages and unemployment affecting Nairobi residents.
"He couldn’t see that there’s no proper drainage and there are poor roads. He couldn’t see that the health sector in Nairobi is unhealthy."
"He couldn’t see that there’s no sufficient supply of water, and he couldn’t see that there are no jobs for the youth, men, and women in Nairobi," he added.
The lawmaker stated that introducing the chapati-making machine would take away jobs from people who rely on making and selling chapatis for a living.
This happened after Governor Sakaja joined President Ruto on a tour of development projects in Nairobi County.
While at St Teresa Girls’ High School, Sakaja asked the president to provide a chapati-making machine to support the Dishi na County programme.
The Dishi na County programme is a school feeding initiative that provides meals to thousands of students in Nairobi.
"Do you like Dishi na County? How is the food, and what do you want us to add? Chapati? Let me talk to the president so he can get us a chapati-making machine," Sakaja told the students.
In response, President Ruto promised to grant Sakaja’s request, saying it would help expand the programme.
"I have heard about it, and I will buy it. Governor, find the machine that can produce chapatis in large numbers, and we will incorporate it into Dishi na County," Ruto said.
