Kenya’s annual inflation rate (KECPI=ECI) rose slightly in October, with price rises for fuel, transport, and food important contributors. This is according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Inflation reached 6.9% year-on-year in October, up from 6.8% a month earlier.
On a month-on-month basis, inflation was 1.0%, the same as in September.
In mid-October, the country’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced a rise in prices of petrol, diesel, and kerosene for the month ahead.
Fuel prices make a big contribution to inflation in Kenya. This is because Kenya relies heavily on diesel for transport, power generation, and agriculture.
On the other hand, kerosene is mostly used in many households for cooking and lighting.
The statistics office said the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels index was up 1.9% in October compared with a month earlier.
Meanwhile, the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index was up 1.3% from September.
The Transport Index on the other hand was up 1.5%.