Sukuma wiki, one of Kenya’s most consumed vegetables, caused a slight increase in the general price level of products in March 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

In a report released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, the price of sukuma wiki rose by 6.2 per cent between February and March 2025.

In March 2025, KNBS detailed that a kilogram of sukuma retailed at Ksh88.51 compared to Ksh65.94 in the same period last year.

The sharp jump contributed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) hitting 3.6 per cent in March 2025. According to KNBS Director Macdonald Obudho, this was an indication that the general price level in March 2025 was 3.6 per cent higher than it was in March 2024.

The CPI measures the cost of purchasing a fixed basket of goods and services, comparing current prices to those of a base period (February 2019). The inflation rate is derived from data collected through a monthly survey of retail prices that targets a representative basket of household goods and services, with data gathered during the second and third weeks of the month from a statistically representative sample of outlets in urban areas across 50 data collection zones nationwide.

Other contributors

Apart from the Sukuma wiki factor, KNBS attributed the sharp rise in CPI to an increase in other food items, non alcoholic beverages and transport costs.

Irish potatoes and maize grains also rose in prices during the period under review, contributing to the change in CPI. For instance, KNBS noted that a kilogram of Irish potatoes retailed at Ksh126.48 in March 2025 compared to Ksh109.74 in March 2024.

“The annual consumer price inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 3.6 per cent in March 2025. This is an indication that the general price level in March 2025 was 3.6 per cent higher than it was in March 2024. The price increase was primarily driven by rise in prices of items in the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages category (6.6 per cent); and Transport category (1.5 per cent) over the one year period,” the KNBS report read in part.

“The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index increased by 0.7 per cent between February 2025 and March 2025. Notably, prices of kales- sukuma wiki , potatoes (Irish) and maize grain (loose) rose by 6.2, 4.5 and 3.3 per cent, respectively, between February 2025 and March 2025,” it added.

Obudho further explained that the transport index rose by 1.5 per cent between February 2025 and March 2025, mainly due to an increase in prices local for flights by 3.9 per cent.

Road network transport was, however, favoured after prices of petrol and diesel remained the same between February 2025 and March 2025.

The restaurant and accommodation services’ index increased by 0.4 per cent between February 2025 and March 2025, on account of a rise in the prices of hotels and restaurant prepared foods.

The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ Index rose by 0.2 per cent between February 2025 and March 2025. The increase is attributable to a rise in the price of gas/LPG by 0.2 per cent between February 2025 and March 2025. Further, prices of 50kWh electricity and 200 kWh electricity went up by 1.0 per cent and 0.9 per cent, respectively, over the same period.