Kenya’s year-on-year inflation in December 2020 increased to 5.62% compared to 5.46 % recorded in November 2020 due to a rise in prices of good and services according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
During the month, food inflation had witnessed significant price increases between November and December 2020, at 2.45%.
Cost of transport, which comprises 9.65% in weight of the household basket, was up 1.15%, while rent, electricity, water, cooking gas, and other fuels were also up in December by 0.59% compared to November 2020.
Food items that had the highest price increases were led by Spinach (1KG), whose price rose by 8.09%, followed by I KG Oranges(6.18%), Sukuma Wiki (Kales) at 5.61%, and 2KG packet of wheat flour (4.75%).
KNBS data shows that the December 2020 Consumer Price Indices (CPI) increased by 0.98% from 110.779 in November 2020 to 111.866 in December 2020.
The Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ Index increased by 0.59% between November and December 2020. This is mainly attributed to increases of 0.76% and 2.08% in the cost of electricity and kerosene, respectively.
The Transport index increased by 1.15% over the same period mainly due to an upward rise in the retail prices of diesel and petrol by 1.20% and 0.92%, respectively.
On the other hand, the cost of basic goods and services will from January 1, 2021 increase marginally with the return of Value Added Tax (VAT) to 16 per cent from 14.
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