Business Insider Africa
EMMANUEL ABARA BENSON
Thursday September 1, 2022
- Kenya's inflation rose to 8.50% in August, the highest level since September 2021.
- August's acceleration marked the sixth consecutive monthly increase since March.
- Increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages drove the acceleration.
The latest Consumer Price Indices and Inflation Rates report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that inflation in the East African country accelerated to 8.50% in August from 8.30% in July.
The report explained that the acceleration was due to an increase in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, transportation, housing and fuel. Part of the report said:
"As presented in Tables 1 and 2, the rise in inflation was mainly due to increase in prices of commodities under food and non-alcoholic beverages (15.3 per cent); transport (7.6 per cent) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (5.6 per cent) between August 2021 and August 2022. These three divisions account for over 57 per cent of the weights of the 13 broad categories."
Specifically, Kenya's food inflation during the month under review stood at 15.3%. The price of maize flour, used for preparing a staple food in the country known as Ugali, rose by 4.7%. In the same vein, the prices of sugar and mango rose by 4.6% and 4.1%, respectively.
August's acceleration marked the sixth consecutive monthly increase since March this year when the inflation rate in Kenya was at 5.60%. It also represents the highest recorded figure since September 2021 when the inflation rate was 6.90%.
In comparison to other African countries like Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia and Ghana, Kenya's inflation rate is still quite manageable.
Kenya's Consumer Price Index report measures expenditure in the urban and rural areas. Below are how each of the 13 categories in the CPI report performed last month.
- Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: 15.3%
- Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics: 4.6%
- Clothing and Footwear: 2.4%
- Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels: 5.6%
- Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance: 10.3%
- Health: 1.5%
- Transport: 7.6%
- Information and Communication: 0.9%
- Recreation, Sport and Culture: 3.0%
- Education Services: 0.9%
- Restaurants and Accommodation Services: 4.6%
- Insurance and Financial Services: 0.5%
- Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services: 4.8%