Kenya: Inflation Hits 7.9% in June as High Food Prices Persist

30 June 2022
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Susan Nyawira

Nairobi — Kenya's inflation accelerated to a record high in June amid increased costs of food and high fuel prices which have continued to strain the common mwananchi's pocket.

The monthly inflation data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows the overall rate of inflation in June was 7.9 per cent compared to 7.1 per cent in May.

In the latest figures, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the percentage change in the price of a basket of goods and services consumed by households, increased by 0.9 per cent from an index of 123.12 in May 2022 to 124.22 in June 2022.

"The rise in inflation was mainly due to increase in prices of commodities under; food and non-alcoholic beverages (13.8 per cent); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (9.2 per cent); transport (7.1 per cent) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (6.8 per cent) between June 2021 and June 2022," KNBS said in a statement.

The month-to-month food and non-alcoholic beverages index increased by 1.2 per cent between May 2022 and June 2022.

Compared to May 2022, prices of wheat flour-white, carrots and cooking oil (salad) increased by 12.7, 4.7 and 4.7 per cent in June 2022, respectively.

A kilo of wheat flour-white retailed at Sh186.90 in June compared to Sh165.89 in May while a litre of cooking oil retailed at Sh387.98 up from Sh370.71.

During the same period, prices of onions-leeks and bulbs and potatoes (Irish) dropped by 5.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent, respectively.

A kilo of onions retailed at Sh134.58 while a kilo of potatoes was Sh84.85.

The furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance index, increased by 1.5 per cent between May 2022 and June 2022.

"This was due to an increase in prices of laundry/bar soap 4.2 per cent and detergents 2.6 per cent.

The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels' index, increased by 0.9 per cent between May 2022 and June 2022.

The transport index increased by 0.9 per cent between May 2022 and June 2022.This was mainly attributed to increase in prices of diesel and petrol that rose by 6.8 per cent and 6.0 per cent, respectively.

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