Kenya inflation drops to 4.73 pct in November

NAIROBI, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's overall monthly inflation decreased to 4.73 percent in November from 5.72 percent in October mainly due to favorable weather conditions that led to fall in the cost of several food items, the statistics bureau said on Thursday.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) computed using the geometric mean approach decreased from 182.50 in October to 182.08 in November.

"Between October and November, Food and Non-Alcoholic Drinks' Index decreased by 1.33 percent mainly due to favorable weather conditions which led to fall in the cost of several food items," the bureau said in a statement issue in Nairobi.

"The bureau said year-on-year food inflation dropped from 8.47 percent in October to 5.75 percent in November.

Over the same review period, Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels' index increased by 1.74 percent, the statistics bureau said.

The statistics bureau attributed to notable increase in the cost of house rents, electricity and other cooking fuels.

The higher cost of electricity was attributed to increase in fuel adjustment charges which outweighed the decreases in foreign exchange adjustment charges per KWh.

"The Transport Index increased by 0.58 percent over the same period, mainly on account of increase in pump prices of both petrol and diesel," it said.

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