Why ugali is fading as rice, chapati rise in Kenyan homes

A woman preparing ugali. [Courtesy/GettyImages]

Ugali, Kenya's long-cherished staple dish, is losing ground on the nation's dinner tables. New data from Kenya's Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) reveals a dramatic shift in eating habits, with maize consumption plunging by over 600,000 metric tonnes - a sign that rice and chapatis are quickly becoming the new favourites in the majority of Kenyan homes.

AFA details that while maize consumption dropped by 625,820 metric tonnes in 2024, rice consumption increased by 118,252 metric tonnes, wheat by 54,542 metric tonnes and sorghum by 7,986 metric tonnes in the same period.