Kenya’s February Inflation rate increased to 9.04% year on year from 6.99 percent recorded in Jan 2017. This was the highest inflation rate since June of 2012 and the spike was mainly as a result of the current drought which has led to an increase in food prices according the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
“Over the review period, Food and Non-Alcoholic Drinks’ Index increased by 3.28 per cent. This was mainly attributed to increases in prices of sukuma wiki, maize flour, milk, cabbages, spinach, potatoes and maize grain, among others. This was partly contributed by prevailing drought conditions.” Said KNBS in a statement.
Year on year food inflation stood at 16.50 per cent in February 2017 while Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ Index, increased by 0.40 per cent mainly due to increases in cost of electricity, kerosene and house rents which outweighed price decreases in the cost of cooking gas.
The Transport Index increased by 0.74 per cent in February compared to January 2017, mainly on account of increases in the pump prices of petrol and diesel.
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