Following the rise in inflation rates, the cost of popular market goods, including green vegetables, potatoes, and maize, will increase even more in May.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reports that a shortage of food goods caused the annual inflation rate to spike to an eight-month high in April.

KNBS reported price increases for essential goods like food, housing, transportation, water, electricity, and gas.

In the transport sector, despite the drop in fuel prices announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), this move will not impact bus fare prices in the coming months.

The prices of matatus and buses from Nairobi to Malindi will increase by 22.2 per cent. 

In its latest fuel review, EPRA announced that the prices of super petrol, diesel, and kerosene would retail at Ksh174.63, Ksh164.86, and Ksh148.99, respectively, reflecting a decrease of Ksh1.95, Ksh2.20, and Ksh2.40 per litre, respectively.

Price increases are expected for electricity (3.8% per 50 kWh), a 13 kg gas cylinder (0.3%), potatoes (4.0% per kg), maize (2.9% per kg), fortified maize flour (2.6%), sugar (0.7% per kg), beef (0.3% per kg), and tomatoes (1.2% per kg). Conversely, the prices of wheat flour (2.2%), spinach (2.3%), kale (2.3%), and cabbage (4.0%) per kg will decrease.

Consumer prices increased 4.1%  over the year, less than the Monetary Policy Committee’s forecast of 4.2% inflation in April. In March, they increased by 3.6%.

Inflation in April was 0.3%, according to KNBS statistics.

Kenya’s inflation rate has been climbing steadily since hitting a low of 2.7 per cent in October, although it still stays comfortably within the Central Bank’s goal range of 2.5 to 7.5 per cent.

Source: Kenyans. co.ke

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