Kenyan inflation falls slightly to 6.26 pct in August

Kenya's year-on-year inflation rate fell marginally to 6.26 percent in August from 6.39 percent in the previous month due to decrease in cost of some food items, the national statistics bureau said on Wednesday.

"Between July and August, Food and Non-Alcoholic Drinks' Index decreased by 0.19 percent as a result of decrease in prices of some food items almost balancing out the increases. The year-on-year goods inflation was 10.85 percent," the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.

Inflation has been decreasing since December 2015 when it stood at a high of 8.01 percent given the decline in the global crude oil prices.

However, it started rising in June and July but fell marginally in August, which is likely to push down the cost of living given falling prices of food.

"Although the cost of electricity remained the same as that of July, kerosene prices increased by 1.7 percent from an average of 0.62 dollars in July to 0.63 dollars in August," the bureau said.

According to the bureau, the Transport Index over the same period increased by 0.53 percent in August compared to July mainly on account of increases in the pump prices of petrol and diesel.

The prices were obtained from selected retail outlets in 25 data collection zones located in Nairobi and 13 other urban centers. Endit