As the sun rises over the city of Nairobi, thousands of residents walk out to their local kiosks in search of the breakfast that will arrest their hunger before they start their day where many settle for ‘kdf’ snack.
For many of these, the prime choice will be the ‘KDF’ snack, a snack that has become popular among Kenyan households as a quick and affordable option for breakfast, lunch and sometimes even supper.
The oddly named snack got its name from construction workers, the bulk of whom indulge in the snack. It was then dubbed ‘KDF’ snack, a title that was to indicate the protection it offered against hunger.
Most of those who relish this popular snack, indulging in four or even six in one sitting, have only a vague idea of how the Kenyan bun moves from the bakery to their plate.
A recent investigation by Kameme TV on a bakery in Kayole has painted a bleak picture of the conditions in which the mandazi is made.
As the camera pans out we are afforded a view of the large iron-sheet structure that houses the makeshift ‘bakery’ in which the ‘KDF’ snack comes to be. We are offered a view of the buns strewn on black plastic sheets on the ground exposed to the elements and prey to the wandering feet of the over a dozen workers
While most of the snacks remain on the sheets, a number end up on the dirt floor, while still others can be seen swimming in puddles of dirty water that dot the ‘factory’.
Some of the workers are shown sleeping in the same factory the snacks are made. They have spent the night there baking the popular food in anticipation of the demand that will knock on the door in the morning.
As this sight reigns supreme inside the Kayole bakery, outside we are met by the already growing line of ‘KDF’ snack vendors who have come in early to collect their stock for the day.
A boda boda operator who was interviewed by the vernacular broadcaster expressed his concerns about the snack and his reasons for abandoning it.
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“People eat these ‘KDF’ snack especially when they are in town and can’t find anything else filling to eat. But we are cautious because of the hygiene concerns around the ‘KDF’ snack. We would ask that the Ministry of Health to inspect the bakeries that make them so that even as we buy and eat them we can be sure that they are hygienic.”
‘KDF’ snack buns are increasingly popular among those in informal employment. Construction workers, for instance, choose to arrest their midday hunger with a few of these Kenyan cakes owing to their affordability and convenience.
The deplorable conditions illustrated in the Kayole bakery brings raises concerns over safeguards in place against a cholera outbreak in the city. In Murang’a, three people have already been hospitalized in critical condition since the disease was first detected.
The outbreak has forced the county public health officials to ban food hawking and cooking along the roads, a move that is intended to curb the spread of the disease.
