Kenya Inflation Rate Accelerates Further in August

2026-08-31 11:20 By Luisa Carvalho 1 min. read

The annual inflation rate in Kenya rose to 6.6% in August 2026 from 6.5% in July, staying above the midpoint of the central bank's 2.5%-7.5% target range for a fifth consecutive month.

Transportation (15.7% vs 15.6%) was the main source of inflationary pressure, as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East drove oil prices higher.

Moreover, food inflation remained elevated (at 9%) while prices picked up for housign & utilities (3.6% vs 3.2%).

Meanwhile, the core inflation rate, which excludes selected volatile items, quickened to 3.4% from 3.2% in July, highlighting second round effects from higherl fuel costs.

On a monthly basis, the CPI rose by 0.4% in August, after a 0.2% increase in the prior month.



News Stream
Kenya Inflation Rate Accelerates Further in August
The annual inflation rate in Kenya rose to 6.6% in August 2026 from 6.5% in July, staying above the midpoint of the central bank's 2.5%-7.5% target range for a fifth consecutive month. Transportation (15.7% vs 15.6%) was the main source of inflationary pressure, as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East drove oil prices higher. Moreover, food inflation remained elevated (at 9%) while prices picked up for housign & utilities (3.6% vs 3.2%). Meanwhile, the core inflation rate, which excludes selected volatile items, quickened to 3.4% from 3.2% in July, highlighting second round effects from higherl fuel costs. On a monthly basis, the CPI rose by 0.4% in August, after a 0.2% increase in the prior month.
2026-08-31
Kenya Inflation Rate Edges Up to 6.5%
The annual inflation rate in Kenya edged up to 6.5% in July 2026 from 6.4% in the previous month, remaining above the midpoint of the central bank's 2.5%-7.5% target range for a fourth consecutive period. The main upward pressure came from transport prices, which rose 15.6% year-on-year, reflecting the pass-through effects of earlier fuel price increases despite unchanged pump prices during the mid-month review. Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation also remained elevated at 9.0%. Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes selected volatile items, accelerated slightly to 3.2% from 3.1% in June, pointing to growing underlying price pressures.
2026-07-31
Kenya Inflation Rate Cools for 1st Time in 4 Months
The annual inflation rate in Kenya eased to 6.4% in June 2026 from 6.7% in the prior month, which was the steepest since January 2024. This marked the first slowdown in overall inflation since February, amid softer increases in prices of transportation (16.1% vs 16.5% in May) and food (8.6% vs 9.4%). On a monthly basis, the CPI went up by 0.3%, down from a 1.6% advance in the month before.
2026-06-30