The cost of living rose slightly in May, with inflation rising to 5.1 percent from five percent in April due to higher costs of food and electricity.
The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index, which accounts for food prices, rose by 6.2 percent year-on-year compared to May of last year and by 2 percent compared to April.
Prices of tomatoes, kale (sukomawiki) and spinach have risen by 14 percent, 15 percent and 18.2 percent, respectively, since April, offsetting lower prices for sifted maize flour, wheat flour and sugar.
Other food items that saw a jump in prices during the month included beef, rice, oranges, beans, onions and potatoes.
For example, a kilo of onions cost Sh182.11 in May from Sh177.02 in April, while a kilo of spinach cost Sh88.37 on average down from Sh74.78 the previous month.
“The food and non-alcoholic beverage index rose by two per cent between April 2024 and May 2024. Prices of spinach, kale, tomatoes and Irish potatoes increased by 18.2, 15, 14 and 6.2 per cent respectively,” the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said. The Statistics Authority (KNBS) said on Friday.
At the same time, electricity prices rose with the cost of 50 units or 50 kilowatt-hours of consumption rising to Sh1,400 from Sh1,326.54 in April, representing a 5.5 percent jump.
The cost of 200 kWh rose by 6.9 percent to Sh6,730.20 from Sh6,297.78 in April.
The rise in inflation during May is the first since January, which ended three months of disinflation – a low inflation rate.
Despite this rise, the inflation rate is still only slightly above the government's average target of 5%.
Improved rainfall over the past six months has helped lower food prices while the Central Bank of Kenya has raised interest rates to limit the effects of the second round of inflation while holding the foreign exchange rate steady to control imported inflation from the weaker Kenyan shilling.
However, recent floods have threatened to undo some of the gains made, especially in food price inflation following the destruction of crops.
A good inflation point for the government is between 2.5 percent and 7.5 percent, with 5 percent being the midpoint.