The paradox of mama mboga’s kind smile and rocketing grocery prices in Kenya

Jibran Mzenge displays brocolli at his stall at Marikiti Market in Mombasa. We have discovered that contrary to what you might expect, fuel – in form of petrol and kerosene – has had some of the lowest price increases of the selected items in this consumer basket. (PHOTO: MWANGI MURAGURI/ STANDARD)

You have probably had a boorish matatu crew on your route raise fares arbitrarily, then blame it on the rise in fuel prices – “mafuta imepanda”.

That brash behaviour from matatu crew sets everyone’s teeth on edge, even if it is a small price hike – by Sh10 or so for the inner city routes, or between Sh50 and Sh100 for the longer countryside trips.