Cost of living shoots to the highest since August 2017

A report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has revealed that inflation in June has increased by about one per cent, making it the highest since August 2017.

KNBS recorded inflation at 7.9 per cent in June. This is an increase from the previous month, which recorded 7.1 per cent.

The Bureau has attributed the inflation rise to the increase in price of basic commodities.

A report by KNBS released today has revealed that wheat flour was the commodity whose price increased the most in June.

Last year same period, the inflation was at 6.3 per cent but later came down to about 5.1 per cent in February, the lowest in 2022.

The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 13.8 per cent.

Similarly, in the last 12 months (June 2021 - June 2022), the price of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels has gone up by 6.8 per cent.

Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance have also gone up by 9.2 per cent as transport costs increased by 7.1 per cent in the last year.

Since February, the country’s cost of living has been increasing and could hit an even higher figure in July.

In the last 30 days, KNBS says, the cost of all basic commodities has increased.

The report has shown that the price of a 2kg of Wheat flour packet has increased by 12. 7 per cent.

Other commodities listed by KNBS are: kerosene/paraffin whose price went up by 7.5 per cent, diesel increased by 6.8 per cent, and Onions increased by 5.3 per cent.

Other products whose prices also hiked were cooking oil, Carrots, potatoes, bread, milk, petrol 6.0, green grams, laundry soap, avocadoes and rent.