Kenya’s January inflation rate shot to a one year high of 6.99 percent from 6.35 percent reported in December, KNBS has announced.
The increase was mainly as a result of increase in the prices of food items caused by drought and an increase in the cost of electricity.
“Food and Non-Alcoholic Drinks’ Index increased by 1.66 per cent. This was mainly attributed to increases in prices of cabbages, spinach, sukuma wiki, maize flour, wheat flour, and maize grain which were partly contributed by prevailing drought conditions.” KNBS said in a statement.
Food inflation for January was at 12.54 per cent with Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ Index, increasing by 0.33 per cent.
“Despite a notable decrease in the cost of diesel, the Transport Index increased by 0.60 per cent in January 2017 compared to December 2016. Similarly, the Education cost Index recorded a month to month inflation rate of 2.28 per cent within the same period.” Concluded KNBS.
KNBS; Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
