The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) announced that inflation hit an all-time high of 9.6 per cent in October 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
KNBS director general, Macdonald Obudho, attributed the inflation hike to the spike in prices of daily commodities according to the Indices (CPI) and Inflation Rates report released on Monday, October 31.
Kenyans had to dig deeper into their pockets to pay rent with the mean cost of a one-bedroom house placed at Ksh12,394, up from Ksh12,193 - a difference of Ksh201.
Amid reforms at the supplier Kenya Power, the cost of 50 kilowatts shot from Ksh963.73 to Ksh968.82. Large-scale consumers parted with Ksh80 more during the same period.
"The rise in inflation was largely due to an increase in prices of commodities under food and non-alcoholic beverages (15.8 per cent); transport (11.6 per cent) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (7.1 per cent).
"Transport Index increased slightly by 1.0 per cent between 2022 October and September 2022 due to increase in matatu fares, taxi fares among others," the report read in part.
The cost of Irish potatoes, sugar and beans recorded increases of 12.5, 12.0 and 7.5 per cent, respectively.
Sugar consumers parted with Ksh16.6 more per kilogramme with a 2kg-packet retailing between Ksh300 and Ksh330 in most retail stores.
The cost of beans jumped by Ksh11.22 per kilo, while a kilo of potatoes retailed an average of Ksh90.78 from Ksh80.69 in September 2022.
Other products included alcoholic beverages such as lagers and spirits, fresh and packaged milk, and fruits.
Notably, the cost of fuel products - petroleum, diesel and kerosene - dropped by an average of Ksh1 per litre.
Cooking oil registered a price drop at Ksh 13 per litre for the first time, while the cost of sifted maize flour, carrots, and tomatoes dropped in October 2022 as compared to the previous month.
