Rise in cost of cooking gas, food pushes up August inflation
The cost of living has soared again with inflation in August hitting 6.57 per cent attributable to marginal rises in food and energy costs.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has meanwhile revised the rate of inflation in July to 6.55 per cent from a lower 6.44 per cent.
Among the commodities experiencing highest jump in prices in the last one month include spinach, LPG gas, beef, carrots, oranges and cabbages.
The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ index, increased by 0.32 per cent between July and August, KNBS data shows. This was mainly attributed to increase in prices of cooking fuel and house rent in spite of the slight decrease in the price of electricity, noted KNBS in their monthly update.
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Transport costs have, however, seen the only decline in the period under review as bus fares went down following the allowance given to public service vehicles (PSVs) to resume transporting full capacity as part of lessened COVID-19 containment curbs.
In March last year, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe ordered PSVs to carry 60 per cent of their capacity to help check the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
Average bus fares from Meru to Nairobi have for instance fallen to Kes800 from a higher Kes1000.
Passengers within the capital Nairobi have alse seen fares come down. City bus fares from Bomas to Nyayo Stadium terminus have for instance falling to Kes50 from a higher Kes60.
