Fact-check: Can a machine make one million chapatis a day?

Since yesterday, Kenyans' interest in chapatis has surged, fueled by President William Ruto’s promise to provide chapati-making machines to schools.

Speaking at St. Theresa Girls Secondary School in Mathare, accompanied by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Ruto announced plans to supply a high-capacity machine capable of producing up to one million chapatis daily.

"Governor Sakaja has requested that chapatis be included in the Dishi na County program. He wants a machine capable of making one million chapatis per day, and I have agreed to his request," said Ruto.

Sakaja had first sought input from students, asking, “Do you always get your meals? What should be added—meat? chapati? How many of you want chapati?” The students responded enthusiastically, chanting “chapati.”

Ruto said the initiative would support the Dishi na County program, which has provided meals to Nairobi learners since June 2023.

The key question, however, is whether producing one million chapatis per day is realistic—or affordable.

Based on Ruto’s estimate, the machine would need to produce 41,667 chapatis per hour, 694 chapatis per minute, and 12 chapatis per second.

If this was possible, then it would cut on the labour and cooking time of the meal.

Assuming one packet of wheat flour produces 25 chapatis. 

For perspective, making 25 chapatis typically requires two kilograms of wheat flour, a half-liter of cooking oil, water, and a heat source.

To produce one million chapatis, one would require approximately 40,000 packets of wheat flour and 20,000 litres of cooking oil.

Assuming one litre of salad oil is about Sh250, then you would need Sh5m to purchase 20,000 litres of cooking oil per day. 

A 2 kg packet of unga costs approximately Sh160. Add the cost of purchasing 40,000 packets of unga to the total of Sh6,400,000. 

For just unga and cooking oil, this would cost you approximately Sh11.4 million per day and at least Sh2b billion annually, making it more expensive than the Dishi na County program, which operates on a Sh1.7 billion annual budget.

The figures so far exclude water and labor.

Feasibility and logistics

Beyond cost, several logistical challenges arise, such as nutritional balance. 

Chapatis alone do not provide a complete meal. What stews will be served alongside it?

The question of distribution also factors in. How will the chapatis be transported to schools? What will be the distribution cost?

In contrast, the Dishi na County program currently provides balanced meals for Sh45 per serving, with parents contributing Sh5 per meal, the county Sh25, and donors Sh15.

How chapati-making machines work

Chapati-making machines in Kenya range from Sh4,500 to Sh350,000, depending on size and quality.

The metallic tool helps make quick chapatis without using a rolling pin or board.

But first, one needs a dough mixer and the machine itself to lessen the work. The machine’s main work is to help produce the final edible product after it has been made from the dough.

Ingredients like wheat flour, water, and oil are accurately measured and mixed to create a consistent dough.

The machine automatically rolls and flattens the dough balls into round, thin chapati discs using heated plates and conveyor belts.

The thickness and diameter of the chapatis can be adjusted based on customer preferences.

To ensure even cooking on both sides, many chapati-making machines are equipped with mechanisms for flipping the chapatis during the cooking process.

But while automated chapati-making is possible, producing one million chapatis daily presents huge financial and logistical challenges. 

Moreover, chapatis alone do not meet the Dishi na County program’s goal of providing balanced nutrition for learners.