Why Githeri? Kenyans Online Ask as Sarova Hotel Donates Lunch to Frontline Healthcare Workers

Why Githeri? Kenyans Online Ask as Sarova Hotel Donates Lunch to Frontline Healthcare Workers

As Kenya fights the Covid-19 pandemic, people have come up with different ways of appreciating healthcare workers who are on the frontline in this battle. 

The Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) flew helicopters carrying a banner with thank you message for medics, Safaricom is offering a special data and airtime package to health workers for three months while the Editors Guild launched a campaign dubbed “Saa Sita”, where Kenyans countrywide will stop what they are doing and give a special clap for medical workers every Wednesday at noon. 

On Thursday, Sarova Hotel on Thursday decided to send packed lunch to medics attached to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as an appreciation for their efforts in combating the bug. 

But the luxurious hotel’s donation sparked mixed reactions among Kenyans on social media after the type of meal in the boxes was revealed—githeri and rice. Well, this not the kind of meal that crosses your mind when Sarova, a five-star hotel, is mentioned. 

Some Kenyans on Twitter could not understand why on earth the high-end hotel settled on Githeri from their long menu of local and international dishes. The hotel said it will serve lunch to medics at KNH for the next 30 days.

Here are some of the reactions from Kenyans online;

@DadiCool20 said: “Sarova hotel, you can do better than this! Achana na hii vitu ya Grogon! For the next 30 days KOT will be assessing the food before you serve our frontline COVID19 soldiers!”

@fredwhitecap asked: “Hahahaha. @SarovaHotelsKen this is the best you could do? The way your hotels make so much money. Halafu @KNH_hospital is proud of this? This shows you how Healthcare workers are regarded in this country.”

@RuthMwai said: “When will Kenyans ever appreciate anything without being soo negative? You mean Sarova serving Githeri to health workers is such a crime, like its poison? I thot most of you ate githeri in high sch? I mean, it's good food. What hv you done 2 help apart frm tweeting??”

@KinyanBoy noted: “Sarova Hotel jumped in the bandwagon but really, Githeri na waru like prisoners food? Sarova of all the places? SMH! The food served at KNH for staff and patients is better.”

@Mahugu_Kimani posed: “Sarova hotel why package a meal so nicely kumbe ndani ni githeri.. please respect our health professionals they deserve better than that. You can do better than that.”

@rosekamau_tweeted: “Mtu hata chai ya ksh 200 hajawai nunua Sarova suddenly feels like how they use their profits is beneath them.”
 

Comments

Mundumugo (not verified)     Fri, 04/24/2020 @ 11:44pm

I guess in Kenya the thought only counts if the food is not of native origin and overpriced. I suppose it sounds more pretentious if they called it organic sun dried white corn and red kidney beans slow simmered over natural wood flames served in a braised hand cut beef and scalloped potato stew with steamed rice and a side dish of fresh hand picked delicately poached cabbage.

Mundumugo (not verified)     Fri, 04/24/2020 @ 11:59pm

As a lifelong member of the house of Mumbi, the meal is filling and healthy and will likely save you from heart problems. It served me well growing up. I don't understand the madharau.

Guest (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 02:39am

It is a slap in the face.Such a high class hotel can do better.If I want to eat githeri I I can go to a kibanda aka kiosk.

JustMe (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 03:44am

Kenyans and their maskini mentality... This is one of the best gestures so far. Ndio mnaamua clapping and flying over as appreciation....nkt

The food is cooked, packaged and presented in the best hygienic manner...all I care.

What have they sacrificed to feed the medics?

sam igram (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 07:08am

Can we appreciate that this hotel offered a meal to the health workers and stop complaining what kind of food it was. From a dietary standpoint githeri has everything in it, proteins, vegetables, and starch. Most of us grew up eating githeri and i belief we were healthier than most people today.

Settled Nomad (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 10:24am

This is how Sarova Hotel should describe the meal, for Kenyans to appreciate it; Rare Pinto beans, served with corn, and Rift Valley potatoes, together with a salad and Nutritious Mwea rice.

Kenya (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 11:12am

Githeri is associated with poverty in Kenya. It is a healthy meal but that does not erase the mentality of poverty when you see it.

Mundumugo (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 03:35pm

In reply to by Kenya (not verified)

More the loss. The food our ancestors ate was/is more nutritious than what we eat today. On my last trip I noticed kids are a lot fatter than in the past. I also noticed that certain traditional foods are now too expensive for average Mkenya. Best uji I ever had was made from finger millet also ridiculously healthy. Cucu would always make it and for me, it's all good memories. The fault lies with our compromised values

MLACHAKE (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 11:25am

Quite a huge number of Kenyans are fools. Those who are criticizing githeri, do you remember we all grew up on this very nutritious meal? How many cases of HBP/heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc (lifestyle diseases) were there those days? Enter western diets and lifestyles - burgers, pizzas, soda, hormone grown chicken etc and bam, cancer rates are through the roof, diabetes, heart disease, name it. We have a lot of idiots who don't think. Whenever I am in Kenya around fast food places on weekends (I never eat from them), I really feel sad for the so called "middle class" families queueing to buy these kinds of food thinking it's a super cool idea of what their middle class culture means. Fools.
I & my folks can afford all these exotic poisons wrapped as food but we have humbly decided that our nyoyo/githeri, sembe na Sukuma, nduma & rabuon are far better for our health …… nyoyo all the way!

Philly (not verified)     Sat, 04/25/2020 @ 07:18pm

so what do they want Sarova to send over? Pizza, fries, buggers? Nothing wrong here. There are good proteins and carbs in that meal to keep them going...

Wanjiru (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 06:22am

This is the epitome of mental slavery!
Githeri is as balanced food as they come.
The food pack has proteins, cabs and veggies...🤷‍♀️
Go Sarova go!

Settled Nomad (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 03:49pm

In reply to by Wanjiru (not verified)

@Wanjiru, the main problem with Kenyans is the name 'Githeri', which they associate with poverty, its nutritional value notwithstanding. At Kapinski Hotel in Nairobi's Westlands, Githeri is described as 'Rare Lucy beans, served with corn, potatoes, and guacamole'. Guacamole simply means Avocados. Just don't call it Githeri, and give it a fancy name, describing its nutritional value, for Kenyans to appreciate it. So I agree with you about mental slavery. After all, I have eaten this same meal, as displayed in the photo, in Airplanes coming to Kenya, and have never heard any complaints, even from 'Wazungu'. My own personal guess, which may be true or not, is that these meals had already been ordered by Airlines, for passengers, but the Hotel decided to donate them, when flights were cancelled.

Settled Nomad (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 05:04pm

In reply to by Wanjiru (not verified)

@Wanjiru, the main problem with Kenyans is the name 'Githeri', which they associate with poverty, its nutritional value notwithstanding. At Kapinski Hotel in Nairobi's Westlands, Githeri is described as 'Rare Lucy beans, served with corn, potatoes, and guacamole'. Guacamole simply means Avocados. Just don't call it Githeri, and give it a fancy name, describing its nutritional value, for Kenyans to appreciate it. So I agree with you about mental slavery. After all, I have eaten this same meal, as displayed in the photo, in Airplanes coming to Kenya, and have never heard any complaints, even from 'Wazungu'. My own personal guess, which may be true or not, is that these meals had already been ordered by Airlines, for passengers, but the Hotel decided to donate them, when flights were cancelled.

Hannah w kanyori (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 12:00pm

People are so careless in their comments....does it mean those of us brought up eating githeri are prisoners??? githeri is good food...maybe sarova would bring adifferent menu every day....why judge them??? what contribution have you done apart from mdomo domo....Those who are brought up with chicken,rice& pizzas mko what difference with those brought up with githeri.... shut your bick....

Sharon Maina (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 03:42pm

The nutritional value in Githeri is way more better than the fast foods; pizza,meat etc. Plant proteins in essential and better and the carbohydrates gives our health workers energy to fight this war. When people are in war,they don't eat foods that will weaken them but give them strength.I applaud Sarova Hotels for the kind gesture,out of all the 5star hotels in this country,Sarova chose to show a kind heart and we thank you and God bless you a thousand fold. In a country where the health system is wanting,such kind gestures speak a lot and they show that we as Kenyans we care,this is to motivate our health workers to press on and carry on on our behalf. It takes great heart,and courage and risk to fight this pandemic,more so like writing your own death sentence,but such kind gestures mean a lot. I thank you Sarova and continue, even take for them matoke and mokimo,traditional and indigenous foods that add great value to the body. Let those who are criticizing such kind gestures buy and provide for the health workers a whole cow then they can talk.

Macharia Migwi (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 08:36pm

I would rather eat githeri rather than eat all that becebece they serve there. Our parents ate Githeri and traditional african foods and lived for many years. Way to go Sarova

Ben Mwangi (not verified)     Sun, 04/26/2020 @ 09:41pm

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, people. Like someone has pointed out, githeri is a healthy food. Your preferred food donation (pizza or fries perhaps?) is junk food!

Wambui G. (not verified)     Mon, 04/27/2020 @ 02:32am

Sarova hotels like any other hotel business is DEAD and we should appreciate they are using saved money to help . I don't think Sarova will serve Githeri every day for 30 days or do you want it serves a USD30 meal daily PP.It is unfortunate to attack a donor while ourselves are not sharing . well done Sarova Hotels when biz reopens you are my first choice

Guest (not verified)     Mon, 04/27/2020 @ 03:56am

The next time you land from majuu drop in at the Kempinski or Sarova and order Pink Lucy beans and corn otherwise known as Githeri.”If the glove don’t fit you must acquit.”.Alternatively drop into the four seasons not even high class and order the same..We are talking about doctors and nurses not starved primary and high school boarding students.These people deserve better you are preaching to the choir do you think these doctors do not know what is nutritious?You ate Githeri while you were growing up no fault of mine still does not change the fact it is low class food.Doctors nurses and you know it too.I do not have to be able to afford a cow to criticize this fake gesture .Supposed PR stunt backfired majorly.Just so you know during exam time Mombasa students feed on pilau a fruit and fresh juice during exam time courtesy of governor 001 .Sarova wacha madharao.

Mundumugo (not verified)     Mon, 04/27/2020 @ 09:32pm

In reply to by Guest (not verified)

@Guest, exactly what is better and what have you done that surpasses Sarova? Are you really that brainwashed? There is a black bean and corn salad that is githeri by another name here in the US. The doctors in my family in Kenya enjoy these foods including ngwaci, nduma, njahi, ndengu, thoroko etc without putting on airs of superiority. You can have personal tastes, (I never liked terere), but don't be embarrassed to eat the foods your ancestors did just because of what foreigners might think.

Settled Nomad (not verified)     Mon, 04/27/2020 @ 11:28am

When you fly KQ, or Ethiopian, to Kenya, you are served Githeri with rice on board. The fact that it is a common meal in Kenya does not make it less nutritious, or appetizing.

Add new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.
CAPTCHA
1 + 1 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.