Kenya’s month-on-month inflation in March eased to 5.7 per cent driven by a slight drop in prices of fuel, maize flour and wheat flour.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows the country’s inflation dropped from 6.3 per cent in February 2024.
KNBS data shows that the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index rose by 0.5 per cent between February 2024 and March 2024.
“Prices of maize flour loose, maize flour-sifted, sugar and fortified maize flour dropped by 9.6. 5.8, 5.3 and 5.1 per cent, respectively between February 2024 and March 2024. During the same period, however, prices of onions- leeks and bulbs, mangoes and potatoes (Irish) increased by 11.1, 8.0 and 7.7 per cent, respectively,” stated KNBS.
The Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ Index increased by 0.2 per cent between February 2024 and March 2024 mainly due increase in prices of gas/LPG by 1.4 per cent.
However, during the same review period the prices of kerosene went down by 2.3 per cent.
Prices of 200 kWh and 50 kWh of electricity dropped by 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively, during the period. The Transport Index decreased by 0.6 per cent between February 2024 and March 2024. This was attributable to a drop in prices of petrol and diesel by 3.5 per cent and 2.6 per cent, respectively.
Prices of a 2 kilogramme packet of sifted maize flour dropped 5.8 per cent to Ksh145.57 in March from Ksh154.54 in February. Similarly, the price of 2kg wheat flour went down 4.8 per cent to Ksh190.72 in March from Ksh200.41 in February.
Read: Kenya’s February Inflation Eases To 6.3 Pc