Inflation rises to 4.1 percent in April on costly food
The prices of traditional vegetables also went up, including potatoes by 17.6 percent, beef with bones by 7.8 percent, while 2Kgs of fortified maize flour also rose by 6.5 percent, cooking oil by 5.9 percent and maize grain by 5.8 percent.
Inflation in Kenya increased to 4.1 percent in April due to an untick in the prices of food, transport, housing, water, electricity and gas.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) inflation rose from 3.6 percent in March this year, falling slightly short of the Monetary Policy Committee's projection of an inflation rate of 4.2 per cent in April.
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Official statistics now show that annual inflation rate is now at an eight-month high. In a report on Wednesday, April 30, KNBS said, “Overall year-on-year (annual) inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 4.1 percent, in April 2025; an increase from an inflation rate of 3.6 percent recorded in March 2025. The month-to-month inflation rate was 0.3 per cent in April 2025.”
The bureau noted that the food and non-alcoholic beverages index increased by 7.1 percent in the last 12 months, while the transport index increased by 2.3 percent. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other Fuels Index, on the other hand, increased by 0.8 per cent in the last 12 months.
Additionally, KNBS highlighted that in the 12 months to April 2025, the price of a kilo sukuma wiki increased by 32.8 percent, tomatoes by 25.5 percent and cabbages by 18.1 percent.
The prices of traditional vegetables also went up, including potatoes by 17.6 percent, beef with bones by 7.8 percent, while 2Kgs of fortified maize flour also rose by 6.5 percent, cooking oil by 5.9 percent and maize grain by 5.8 percent.
Meanwhile, the prices of wheat flour and common vegetables such as spinach, kale, and cabbage decreased by 2.2 percent, 2.3 percent, and 4.0 percent, respectively.
However, the price of 13 kg cooking gas/LPG also fell by 2.7 percent, a litre of diesel by 8.5 percent, petrol by 9.9 percent and a litre of kerosene by 12.5 percent.
In its latest fuel review, EPRA announced that the prices of super petrol, diesel, and kerosene would retail at KES174.63, KES164.86, and KES148.99, respectively, reflecting a decrease of KES1.95, KES2.20, and KES2.40 per litre, respectively.
However, the decrease in fuel prices will not be felt in the transport sector as the bureau also reported an increase in bus fare. For example, in the last twelve months, matatu bus fare between Malindi and Nairobi has risen by 29.4 percent.
The monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment also went up by 1.0 percent and the cost of electricity has increased by 0.3 percent.
Overall, Kenya's inflation rate has been rising steadily since hitting a low of 2.7 percent in October, but it still remains comfortably within the Central Bank's target range of 2.5 to 7.5 percent.
