Dry weather conditions pushed Kenya’s overall inflation to an eight-month high of 7.08 per cent in April from 6.31 per cent in the previous month, the country’s statistics bureau has confirmed.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) attributed the increase due to increases in respect of several food items such as maize flour, potatoes, tomatoes, milk, cabbages, beans and onions.
“The observed food price increases were mainly attributed to the dry weather conditions experience in the first quarter of the year,” KNBS said in a statement released in Nairobi.
The bureau said the high food prices affected mainly the lower income groups, where the rate of inflation increased at significantly higher rates compared to middle and upper income categories.
In the same period, housing, water, electricity and other fuels’ index increased by 0.23 per cent.
“Although there was a slight fall in the cost of electricity and cooking gas, in aggregate, these and other observed price decreases were slightly outweighed by increased costs of house rents, kerosene, charcoal and other utilities,” the bureau said.
KNBS said between March and April, Food and Nonalcoholic Drinks’ Index increased by 3.92 per cent due to rise in cost of food.
During the review period, the Transport index almost stagnated owing to an almost balance falls and rises of prices for goods and services within this category, KNBS said.
The bureau generates data from 13 urban centers in the country, and it is believed to be a reflection of the spending behavior among Kenyans.
