Babu Owino Criticizes Sakaja for Requesting Chapati-Making Machine Amid Nairobi’s Pressing Issues

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has slammed Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for requesting a chapati-making machine from President William Ruto on March 11.

In a statement posted on his official X account on March 12, Owino criticized Sakaja, arguing that he should have prioritized more pressing issues affecting Nairobi residents.

“With all the challenges facing Nairobians, Sakaja chose to ask the President for a chapati-printing machine to produce one million chapatis a day,” Owino remarked.

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.

Babu Owino argued that introducing a chapati-making machine would put many small-scale vendors out of work, as they depend on making and selling chapatis for their livelihood.

His remarks came after Governor Sakaja accompanied President William Ruto on a tour of development projects in Nairobi County.

During a visit to St. Teresa Girls’ High School, Sakaja requested the president to provide a chapati-making machine to enhance the Dishi na County programme, a school feeding initiative that serves 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.