High food prices dampen new year holiday spirit as living cost rises

Traders wait for fresh bananas at Riosiri Market in Kisii County on 15/8/2021.. An excess supply of the produce in the local market has driven down prices of the region's major cash and food crop.A big banana retails at sh 400 up from sh 600.[Sammy Omingo,Standard]

As Kenyans usher in the New Year, a cloud of rising food prices is casting a shadow over the festive spirit.

The recent surge in inflation has significantly increased the cost of staple foods such as maize flour, tomatoes, and sugar, forcing many families, particularly those in lower-income brackets, to cut back on their holiday spending.