Annual inflation up 4.1% per cent in April as Kenyans pay more for food, energy and water
According to data from KNBS, overall CPI increased to 144.09 in April, an increase from 143.69 in March. In April last, overall CPI stood at 138.40 in April last year
Overall year-on-year (annual) inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 4.1 per cent in April, an increase from an inflation rate of 3.6 per cent recorded in March. The month-to-month inflation rate was 0.3 per cent in April.
Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages Index increased by 7.1 per cent in the last 12 months while the Transport Index increased by 2.4 per cent.
On the other hand, the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels Index increased by 0.8 per cent.
According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), overall CPI increased to 144.09 in April, an increase from 143.69 in March. In April last, overall CPI stood at 138.40 in April last year.
KNBS data on changes in average retail prices of selected commodities in the last one month also shows that the price of one kilogramme of potatoes increased by 4.0 per cent, one kiloogramme of maize grain-loose (2.9 per cent), two kilogrammes of fortified maize flour (2.6 per cent), one kilogramme of tomatoes (1.2 per cent), one kilogramme of sugar (0.7 per cent) and one kilogramme of beef with bones (0.3 per cent).
One the other hand, the price of two kilogrammes of white wheat flour decreased by 0.9 per cent, one litre of cooking oil (1.1 per cent), one kiloramme of traditional vegetables (2.2 per cent), one kilogramme of kales or sukuma wiki (2.3 per cent) and one kilogramme of cabbages (4.0 per cent).
With regard to non-food items, a one way county bus/matatu fare from Malindi to Nairobi increased by 22.2 per cent in the last one month.
Fifty kilowatts of electricity were up 3.8 per cent, 200 kilowatts of electricity (3.8 per cent) and 13 kilogrammes of LPG/Cooking gas (0.3 per cent).
On the other hand, the price of one litre of petrol was down 1.1 per cent, one litre of diesel 1.3 per cent and one litre of kerosene 1.6 per cent.
CPI is a key macroeconomic indicator used to monitor price movements and how they affect policy decisions. It is defined as a measure of the weighted aggregate change in retail prices paid by consumers for a given basket of goods and services.
Year-on-year inflation is used mainly for economic decision making as current situation is compared to previous year situation, same period. Inflation rate is defined as a percentage change of the CPI between two periods.
Collection of retail prices for the compilation of the CPI is usually conducted during the second and third weeks of every month. Prices of different commodities are collected from selected retail outlets located in 50 data collection zones. Out of the 50 data collection zones, 14 are located in Nairobi City County while 36 are located in other urban areas. Nairobi zones cover outlets in lower income, middle income and upper income areas.
