Kenya’s Inflation Rate Rises to a High of 7.9%

A local Kenyan market [Photo: Mossel Bay]

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that Kenya’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 7.9% in June from 7.1% in May 2022, marked as the highest level of Kenya’s inflation rate since August 2017.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased from 123 in May to 124 in June.

Basic commodities such as cooking oil jumped from 371 shillings per litre to 388 shillings.

Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance index increased by 1.5 per cent between May and June.

The bureau says transport index increased by 0.9 percent, mainly attributed to increasing in prices of diesel and petrol which rose by 6.8 percent and 6.0 percent respectively.

“The rise in Kenya’s inflation was mainly due to increase in prices of commodities under; food and non-alcoholic beverages (13.8 per cent); and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (6.8 per cent) between June 2021 and June 2022,” said KNBS in a statement.

The World Food Programme says food prices might continue to rise due to reduced corn production, costly fertilizer and poor rainfall.

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