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Kenya’s annual inflation rate decreased by 0.6 per cent to 6.3 per cent, down from 6.9 per cent in the previous month, according to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). It said the monthly rate reduced by a modest 0.1 per cent from 0.4 per cent recorded in January 2024, keeping well within the Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) preferred range of between 2.5 per cent and 7.5 per cent in the medium term.

Over the past year, the KNBS data shows that several key indices in Kenya have seen significant increases.
The Transport Index rose by 10.8 per cent, and the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels indices also increased, albeit at a slightly lower rate of 8.4 per cent. The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index grew by 6.9 per cent. These changes have had a direct impact on the common mwananchi.

Over the past month, the price of spinach, a common food item, increased the most by 3.9 per cent, while beef with bones saw the smallest increase at 1.4 per cent. On the other hand, the price of tomatoes dropped the most by 5.7 per cent, and fresh milk saw the smallest decrease at 0.2 per cent.

In the non-food category, the price of a 13-kilogramme cooking gas cylinder, a common household item, saw the largest increase, rising by 4.3 per cent. The monthly rent for a single room, a significant expense for many, experienced the smallest increase, going up by just 0.1 per cent.

In terms of energy, kerosene, a common fuel source, saw the smallest decrease in price, dropping by 0.5 per cent, while the cost of 50 kilowatts of electricity, a significant household expense, saw the most significant reduction, decreasing by 11 per cent.

Other everyday items also saw price increases. A kilogramme of potatoes increased by 1.7 per cent, a two-kilogramme bag of wheat flour rose by 2.6 per cent, and a kilogramme of sugar went up by 4.6 per cent. Additionally, the price of beans increased by 0.6 per cent, and a two-kilogramme bag of sifted maize flour, a staple food item, saw a rise of 1 per cent.

These changes in prices, both increases and decreases, directly affect the cost of living for the common mwananchi, impacting their daily lives and financial planning.