Nairobi — Lower transportation, food as well as information and communication costs helped ease inflation to 4.4 percent in January from 4.5 percent in December last year, latest data shows.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation data shows that inter-town bus and matatu fares fell by 1.9 percent, supported by a decline in petrol and diesel prices of 1.1 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.

Likewise, prices of mobile handsets (both basic and smartphones) and televisions each dropped by 0.3 percent, while internet costs declined by 0.2 percent.

"In addition, television subscription fees such as DStv fell by 0.1 per cent. In contrast, the price of computers (laptops) increased slightly by 0.2 per cent over the period," KNBS said.

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Lower inflation was also supported by a drop in the prices of sugar, mangoes and cooking oil (salad), which declined by 3.0 percent, 3.2 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

However, prices of cabbages, fortified maize flour, kale (sukuma wiki) and Irish potatoes rose by 9.3 percent, 6.7 percent, 4.0 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.

Electricity prices increased by 3.7 percent for 50 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and 3.4 percent for 200 kWh between December 2025 and January 2026. In contrast, the price of kerosene dropped by 0.6 percent during the same period.

While prices of cancer medicines, spectacles and contact lenses, and X-rays and scans declined by 2 percent, 0.6 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively; prices of diabetes medicines and laboratory tests each increased by 0.9 percent.