Increased food prices push March inflation to 3.6%
The record marks the fifth consecutive month of rising inflation since October last year.
Increased prices of some basic food commodities did enough to push the level of inflation to 3.6 percent in March from 3.5 percent the previous month.
The record marks the fifth consecutive month of rising inflation since October last year.
More To Read
- Relief for Kenyans as food prices drop in March after months of rising costs
- Kenyans struggle with low purchasing power amid high cost of living
- Inflation rises to 3.3% in January as consumer prices go up
- Kenya's private sector activity dips slightly in December amid rising inflation
- Escalating Red Sea vessel attacks risk negating Kenya’s easing inflation as shipment of essential goods affected
- Relief as workers’ real wage growth starts rising on easing inflation
Data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows prices of kales-sukuma wiki, potatoes (Irish) and maize grain (loose) rose by 6.2, 4.5 and 3.3 percent, respectively, between February 2025 and March 2025.
Prices of sugar and beans, however, dropped by 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively.
In general, the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index increased by 0.7 percent between February 2025 and March 2025.
The Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels' Index also rose by 0.2 percent in the period under review.
“The increase is attributable to a rise in the price of gas/LPG by 0.2 percent between February 2025 and March 2025,” KNBS said.
“Further, prices of 50kWh electricity and 200 kWh electricity went up by 1.0 and 0.9 percent, respectively, over the same period.”
Nevertheless, the Transport Index rose by 1.5 percent, mainly due to an increase in the prices of local flights by 3.9 percent.
Notably, the prices of petrol and diesel remained the same between February 2025 and March 2025.
The Restaurant and Accommodation Services' index increased by 0.4 percent in the period under review on account of a rise in the prices of hotel and restaurant-prepared foods.
Core inflation, which measures the cost of living excluding volatile components like food and energy prices from the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI), stood at 2.2 per cent, up from the previous month’s 2.0 percent.
On the other hand, non-core inflation, which represents the price movements of those excluded volatile items, essentially showing the impact of fluctuating food and energy costs on inflation, declined from 7.7 percent in February to 7.4 percent in the month under review.
Top Stories Today
- Revealed: Insider deals and offshore links driving up Kenya’s energy costs
- Drone strikes pound Port Sudan, putting aid deliveries at risk
- Waudo Street: Eastleigh’s alley which comes alive after midnight
- Devolution ministry gets Sh8bn boost in 2025-26 budget
- SGR loses 280,000 passengers in 2024 despite fare-driven revenue surge
- Dadaab refugees plead for aid restoration as US cuts bite
- LSK, Amnesty push DCI to release equipment seized over ‘Blood Parliament’ film
- Explosions heard in Sudanese city of Port Sudan, witness says
- Taxpayers to fund Sh2.3 billion State House, lodges facelift
- AU, IGAD step up efforts to revive South Sudan's stalled peace process
- TSC begins search for new CEO as Nancy Macharia’s tenure nears end
- TSC declares over 2,000 teaching posts vacant in bid to fill staffing gaps
- Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale among regions to be affected by power blackouts
- Papal conclave: All cardinals who will elect new pope arrive in Rome
- Sudan's RSF launches second drone attack in Port Sudan
- Mombasa CSOs clash with county assembly over budget estimates
- Kenya created 782,300 jobs in 2024, most in informal sector — KNBS report
- Somalia’s NCC meeting opens without Puntland, Jubbaland
- UHC staff told to resume duty as counties take over payroll
- KRA gives fuel stations June 30 deadline to integrate eTIMS
