Kenya’s inflation rose to 7.3% in October driven by surging fuel & food prices

Kenya’s overall inflation rate accelerated to 7.3 percent in October 2026, up from 6.8 percent recorded in September 2026.

The increase reflects year-on-year price changes between October 2025 and October 2026 according to figures released by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)

The rise was heavily influenced by volatile non-core items, where annual inflation climbed sharply to 15.1 percent. In contrast, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices and accounts for 81.1 percent of the total Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket, remained relatively subdued at 4.3 percent.

Non-core goods witnessed substantial price increases across key household staples and transport fuels:

• Irish Potatoes: Recorded the highest increase in the category at 34.9 percent.
• Diesel: Rose by 32.5 percent.
• Cabbages: Surged by 29.1 percent.
• Petrol: Climbed by 22.8 percent.

Power costs experienced more moderate adjustments, with electricity tariffs increasing by 4.5 percent for 50-kilowatt consumers and 4.1 percent for 200-kilowatt consumers.

Within the core CPI basket, commuting costs and daily grocery essentials drove the majority of upward pressure:

• Citybus and Matatu Fares: Spurred by rising fuel expenses, passenger fares climbed by 18.2 percent.
• Fresh Packeted Cow Milk: Rose by 14.4 percent.
• Beef with Bone: Increased by 12.5 percent.
• Sugar: Rose by 11.1 percent.
• White Wheat Flour: Grew by 9.1 percent.
• Cooking Oil (Salad): Increased by 5.1 percent.