Tuesday 01st September, 2026 12:25 PM|
Kenya’s annual inflation rate stood at 6.6 per cent in August 2026, with higher food and fuel prices exerting pressure on household costs, according to inflation highlights released by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
The figures released by CBK on Monday, September 1, 2026, show significant increases in the prices of several essential commodities, with Irish potatoes, tomatoes, beef and sugar recording some of the highest increases during the period.
“Inflation is calculated as the change in prices between August 2026 and August 2025,” the CBK said in the inflation highlights.
Food prices drive inflation
The non-core inflation basket recorded an inflation rate of 14.7 per cent, with food and energy items registering notable increases.
Irish potatoes recorded the highest increase at 32.7 per cent, followed by tomatoes at 29.3 per cent.
Beef with bone prices increased by 12.1 per cent, while sugar rose by 10.8 per cent.
Cooking oil recorded a 3.8 per cent increase, while fresh packeted cow milk rose by 2.6 per cent.
Sifted maize flour increased by 2.4 per cent, while non-aromatic white rice recorded a 0.4 per cent rise.
The core inflation basket stood at 3.4 per cent.
Fuel costs add pressure
Fuel prices also recorded significant increases during the period, adding to pressure on consumers.
Diesel prices increased by 26.8 per cent, while petrol rose by 15.3 per cent.
Electricity prices recorded smaller increases, with electricity consumption of 50 kilowatts rising by 2.4 per cent and the 200-kilowatt category increasing by 2.2 per cent.
The CBK inflation highlights show that food and energy remained key contributors to the overall inflation rate during the period.
The core Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket accounts for 81.1 per cent of the overall CPI, according to the CBK.
Prices remain under watch
The latest figures highlight the continued pressure facing households from rising prices of essential food items and energy products.
Among the food products listed, potatoes and tomatoes recorded the sharpest increases, while beef with bone and sugar also registered double-digit rises.
The increase in diesel and petrol prices further adds pressure to transport and production costs, with potential effects across other sectors of the economy.
The inflation figures were based on changes in prices between August 2026 and August 2025, with the overall inflation rate recorded at 6.6 per cent.
The detailed report on core and non-core measures of inflation is available through the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
