Kenya’s Inflation Rises to 5.56% as Prices of Wheat Flour, Cooking Oil, LPG Gas Soar

Nairobi — Kenya’s inflation rate has risen to 5.56 percent in March from the 5.08 rate reported in March, an increase which was mainly due to the increase in food prices mainly wheat flour and cooking oil, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has indicated.

The prices of commodities under food and nonalcoholic beverages rose by 1.49 percent compared to February 2022 with prices of the three commodities rising by 6.50, 4.47, and 4.22 percent respectively.

As compared to 2022, the food prices index rose by 9.92 percent.

“During the same period, prices of green grams, carrots, and oranges decreased by 0.97, 0.69, and 0.49 percent, respectively. Prices of food items in March 2022 were relatively high compared with prices of food items recorded in March 2021,” KNBS said.

The price of cooking gas (LPG) also rose by 7.76 percent with the average price of refilling a 13 kg cylinder standing at Sh2,866 from Sh2,659.

The LPG gas price also represents a 38.18 percent rise from the average price of Sh2,074 in March 2021, an increase that can be attributed to an increase in landed cost and freight charges.

The cost of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels similarly increased by 0.71 percent during the month while the transport Index increased by 0.63 percent due to an increase in prices of petrol and diesel which rose by 3.83 percent and 4.49 percent, respectively.

“Furnishings, Household Equipment, and Routine Household Equipment Index, increased by 1.36 percent between February 2022 and March 2022. This was due to an increase in prices of laundry/bar soap and detergents,” the agency added.