Kilifi, Kenya – A disturbing revelation has emerged from Kilifi County, where students in several poverty-stricken schools are being forced to chant Indian prayers before receiving donated meals of maize and beans. Is Kenya becoming a Singapore or Singapoor? Sources close to the affected institutions describe it as a humiliating trade-off: eat or go hungry, but only after reciting unfamiliar religious chants.
Videos circulating online capture the heart-wrenching scenes. In one clip, a young girl stands before a bowl of Githeri – a simple mix of maize and beans – and recites the prayers haltingly, her voice barely above a whisper. Nearby, other children join in, their faces a mix of reluctance and resignation.
The footage shows headteachers overseeing the ritual, ensuring compliance as the aroma of the hot meal fills the air. The donations come from Indian charitable groups, who provide the food to combat hunger in Kenya’s coastal regions.
But attached to this aid is a condition: the children must participate in Hindu-inspired prayers to honour the donor’s faith. Pictures of Indian deities have even appeared in school kitchens, according to witnesses, turning modest dining areas into makeshift shrines.
Here is a video of the of young students being taught the prayers
They are supposed to chant them immediately they take food
Just like what the girl Infront is doing
While it looks harmless, I think it's humiliating
Govt can't provide even lunch for students? 👀👀… https://t.co/VyjKxeW1kI pic.twitter.com/qeuyahToj0— Sholla Ard 🇰🇪 (@sholard_mancity) September 18, 2025
“It’s like they’re teaching our kids about gods they’ve never heard of, just to get a plate of food,” one anonymous parent told reporters, her voice cracking with frustration. This practice has sparked outrage across Kenya, especially as the government poured millions in taxes and loans into school feeding programs.
In July 2025, President William Ruto expanded the initiative to cover more vulnerable learners, aiming to boost attendance and nutrition. Yet, in remote villages like those in Ganze sub-county, where poverty rates hover above 70%, schools lack budgets for consistent meals.
Speaking off-record, a headteacher from one affected school admitted, “We find ourselves in a difficult situation.” “No food means kids drop out or faint in class. But this? It’s eroding their dignity.”
Legal experts are divided on whether this constitutes indoctrination. Kenya’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but critics argue that mandating foreign prayers in public schools violates children’s rights under the Basic Education Act. “It’s quiet coercion,” said education advocate Jane Mwangi.
“Donors mean well, but at what cost to our cultural identity?” No official complaints have reached the Ministry of Education yet, but calls for intervention are growing. Online, the videos have ignited a firestorm.
As promised, here is the video of a headteacher instructing children to pray to Indian gods because the donors of maize and beans demanded it.
— Sholla Ard 🇰🇪 (@sholard_mancity) September 18, 2025
The headteacher admitted to my team they were forced into this, since the school has no food budget and the area is deeply… https://t.co/oLfEGPmCoj pic.twitter.com/nKh2RH3dgB
“Our leaders chant ‘hustler nation’ in rallies, but our kids are begging for food while bowing to foreign gods,” posted one netizen, echoing widespread anger at MPs who remain ensconced in Nairobi.
Others worry about the fallout: the school fears the exposure could halt the donations, leaving hundreds of pupils hungry once more. The headteacher’s team confirmed the donors’ demands, noting the area’s deep poverty leaves little choice.
Ganze, in particular, has long battled malnutrition, with recent reports highlighting how hunger threatens school retention. While some defend the prayers as harmless gratitude, many see them as exploitation.
Today I want to highlight something disturbing happening in Kilifi.
— Sholla Ard 🇰🇪 (@sholard_mancity) September 18, 2025
They say poverty is bad because whoever feeds you controls you.
In several schools, students receiving maize and beans donations are being forced to chant Indian prayers before eating.
Videos we’ve obtained… pic.twitter.com/L37T7kXO9G
“Imagine being so desperate that you teach toddlers to pray to deities they don’t know,” lamented a local elder. As the short rains approach, bringing hopes for better harvests, this scandal shows Kenya’s feeding program gaps.
The government has promised to deliver more supplies, but delays persist. For now, these children face a daily dilemma that no meal should impose. Calls for transparency in donor agreements are mounting, with parents urging the Ruto administration to step in before more schools resort to such measures.
“We need homegrown solutions, not handouts with strings attached,” one father declared. The incident has reignited debates on aid ethics, reminding Kenyans that true progress means nourishing bodies without compromising souls.