By David karani, Human rights defender and a member of Elimu Bora working group.
President William Ruto recently promised school-going children in Nairobi that they would soon enjoy chapati as part of their school meals, even announcing plans for a chapati-making machine. While this might sound like a generous and welcome initiative, it exposes a glaring inequality in Kenya’s school feeding programs.
Across the country, millions of children in public schools struggle to get even a basic meal of maize and beans, if they get anything at all. In arid and semi-arid regions, where droughts have become more frequent, school feeding programs are often unreliable. Children go to school on empty stomachs, and many drop out because their families cannot afford food. In informal settlements, like those in Mathare, parents depend on the Nairobi County feeding program to ensure their children get at least one meal a day.
So, why is chapati a more expensive and labor-intensive meal being prioritized for Nairobi children while others struggle with food insecurity? This decision raises important questions about equity and the government’s priorities. Shouldn’t the focus be on ensuring that all Kenyan children have access to a nutritious meal before introducing a luxury item like chapati?
The move also reflects a troubling pattern in Kenya’s leadership: grand promises that benefit select groups while ignoring systemic issues. School feeding programs should not be about political gestures but about ensuring every child, regardless of location, gets a meal that sustains them and allows them to focus on learning.
If the government can afford chapati machines for Nairobi schools, then surely it can afford to ensure that no child in Kenya goes hungry at school. Hunger should never be a barrier to education. It is time to move beyond showy promises and invest in sustainable solutions that serve all Kenyan children equally.