NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun1- Kenya’s year-on-year inflation in May increased to 5.87 percent compared to 5.76 percent in April.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reveals that the Consumer Price Index increases by 0.20 percent from 114.746 in April 2021 to 114.977 in May 2021.
KNBS has attributed the spike in the cost of living to higher petrol prices in the period.
As such, the transport index increased by 0.69 percent after a 2.87 percent rise in reviewed Petrol prices on May 14.
During the period under review, the food and non-alcoholic beverages index also increased by 0.32 percent while the year-on-year food inflation stood at 7.02 percent in May.
Some of the food items that increased in the review period include onions, sukumawiki, cabbages, tomatoes and beef.
However, prices of oranges and Irish potatoes decreased by 3.99 percent and 2.05 percent respectively.
During the same period, the housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels’ index decreased by 0.15 percent between April and May 2021.
This was mainly attributed to decrease in prices of charcoal and electricity.
The consumer prices are expected to weigh heavily on Kenyans due to reduced disposable incomes occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
