Spinning the decks: chapati business booming thanks to wheat lovers

For almost three years, the proverbial early bird always found Patrick Gachie tossing chapatis in his pan, a few early risers flanking him, waiting for the first batch of the snack to be dispatched into their waiting palms.

Until Gachie’s back protested and he quit last week. He was used to cooking chapatis on the roadside every day, starting as early as 5 am and closing an hour to midnight, his back aflame. All day long, he stood rolling chapatis, often skipping meals. Everyone in Mirema, Kasarani, who wanted to know him knew him.