The food and non-alcoholic drinks’ index increased by 0.23 percent as well, due to a net effect of both falls and rises in the prices of a number of food products/FILE
Prices of commodities however continued to strain the cost of living as the Consumer Price Indices (CPI) increased by 0.43 percent from 131.89 in September to 132.46 in October, according to the latest report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
The food and non-alcoholic drinks’ index increased by 0.23 percent as well, due to a net effect of both falls and rises in the prices of a number of food products.
“The prices of tomatoes, carrots, sukuma wiki, cabbages, maize grain and green maize declined by 1.0, 4.6, 0.7, 1.5, 0.9 and 1.7 percent between September and October,” a statement from KNBS said.
“Significant price increases were observed in respect of potatoes, sugar, bananas, beef and beans among other food products,” the statement revealed.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ index went up by 0.55 percent over the past month, with electricity, charcoal and kerosene increasing by 7.0, 1.2 and 7.8 percent respectively.
Due to increased fuel cost adjustment and forex charges, the cost of consuming 50 kilowatt-hours (KWHRS) of electricity increased from Sh613.50 in September to Sh657.50 in October.
The transport index went up by 1.37 percent over the same period, mainly due to higher costs of petrol, diesel and bus/matatu fares.
