The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on Friday listed electricity as one category of basic goods and services whose price increased in August.
In its latest survey, KNBS disclosed the prices of electricity, cigarettes, bus tickets and monthly house rents had risen in August compared to July.
Other basic goods and services whose prices also increased include food items such as beef, potatoes, oranges and mangoes.
According to KNBS, the increase in the prices of the above items contributed to an increase in the country’s inflation levels from 4.3 per cent in July to 4.4 per cent in August.
The survey revealed that for the past 12 months, the inflation rate dropped from 6.7 per cent to 4.3 last month before increasing to 4.4 in August.
“The overall year-on-year (annual) inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 4.4 per cent, in August 2024; a slight increase from an inflation rate of 4.3 per cent recorded in July 2024,” the KNBS report revealed.
“The annual inflation was mainly due to an increase in prices of commodities under the following Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions.”
Nonetheless, KNBS in its report, similarly revealed the prices of seven basic goods and services including food items such as cabbages, carrots, sugar, onions, spinach and kale reduced.
The latest report contrasts' the bureau's July 2024 report which showed six vital commodities recorded a price increase. These included food items such as cabbages, carrots, mangoes, cooking oil and gas.
However, in the same month, the bureau announced 9 commodities including wheat flour, sugar, maize grain, maize flour, petrol, electricity, kerosene and diesel had recorded price reduction.
The drop in prices for most commodities was attributed to the reduction in the inflation rate from 4.6 per cent recorded in to 4.3 in July.
