Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has hit out at President William Ruto, accusing him of using his recent promise to Nairobi pupils to buy a chapati-making machine that can produce one million chapatis a day, as a political gimmick rather than addressing the country’s pressing economic issues.
Speaking on Saturday, March 15, 2025, Kalonzo dismissed Ruto’s embrace of the nickname ‘El-Chapo,’ arguing that while the idea of eating chapati may seem appealing, it does little to uplift struggling Kenyans.
“The state of the nation is actually a mess. Now, the only probably little good thing is the chapati, but you know even William is corrupt in chapati. He says his name is ‘El-Chapo’,” Kalonzo stated.
The former Vice President challenged Ruto to turn his chapati narrative into tangible economic empowerment by awarding small-scale traders contracts to supply meal to schools and institutions.
“It’s basically a good idea to eat chapati, but Why don’t you give Mama Mbogas in Kangemi, in Utawala, in Mathare, a contract to make those chapatis and supply them to Toi Primary School and to other places?” he posed.
Kalonzo also ridiculed the President’s recent remarks about his multiple nicknames, referring to Ruto’s suggestion that his growing list of monikers could correspond to his years in office.
“And he says he has been given six names and he is waiting for them to be ten so that he can get his ten years. I think mental health is a situation here – that he thinks that giving him ten names that are all well-elaborated translates to ten years. Mental health,” Musyoka remarked.
Ruto’s Chapati promise
On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, President Ruto promised to buy a chapati-making machine to boost Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s Dishi na County school feeding program.
The pledge came after pupils at St. Teresa Primary School in Mathare voiced their desire to have chapati on the menu following Sakaja’s inquiry about meal preferences.
Sakaja however, raised concerns about the feasibility of preparing chapatis for over 300,000 pupils and requested a machine to handle the task.
Following his statement, Ruto reiterated his commitment, stating that he would ensure the program received the chapati-making machine, once he was informed where to purchase it.
“The governor has asked that we add chapati in the Dishi ya Nairobi initiative, I have agreed to purchase the machine, it is now the work of the governor to locate a shop we can purchase them from so that we can be able to make one million chapatis,” Ruto said amid cheers from the pupils.
