Kenyans are digging deeper into their pockets after the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) revealed rising costs in key sectors despite a slight drop in fuel prices.
According to the Consumer Price Indices and Inflation Rates report for August, released on August 29, bus and matatu fares recorded the sharpest jump, with commuters along the Mombasa–Nairobi route paying 15.4 percent more. Tuk Tuk users were also hit with fare increases of 1.5 percent.
This comes even after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced a 0.5 percent drop in petrol prices and maintained diesel prices.
The KNBS report also flagged slight increases in vehicle insurance by 0.2 percent, while pay TV subscriptions such as DSTV rose by 1.5 percent.
Consumers also faced higher costs in the hospitality sector. Café meals and takeaway food prices increased by 0.3 percent, beverages in hotels and restaurants went up by 0.3 percent, and accommodation charges rose by 0.2 percent.
Household and personal care products also recorded increases: body lotion (0.2 percent), toilet soap (0.4 percent), and tissue paper (1.6 percent).
On the food front, cabbage prices surged by 6.3 percent, followed by carrots (2.4 percent), sukuma wiki (1.9 percent) and tomatoes (1.2 percent).
However, the report noted relief in some areas. Prices of un packeted cow milk (-0.9 percent), fortified maize flour (-1.7 percent), sifted maize flour (-1.5 percent), beans (-0.7 percent), loose maize grain (-0.4 percent) and oranges (-0.7 percent) dropped.
Electricity costs also fell, with 50kWh tariffs down by 2.3 percent and 200kWh tariffs dropping by 2.1 percent. Similarly, the furnishings and household equipment index recorded a slight 0.2 percent decrease.
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