Kenya’s inflation rises to 6.8% in September, highest in one year

Kenya's inflation rate surged to 6.8% in September 2026, marking the highest level in over a year. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) attributed this increase to soaring prices in various sectors, particularly food, transport, housing, and utilities. The annual inflation rate in August 2026 was reported at 6.6%. KNBS Director General, Macdonald G. Obudho, revealed these figures in a statement.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages saw the highest inflation rate of 9.5% in September, followed by transport, which increased by 15.6%. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels experienced a 3.2% rise. This surge in inflation marked the sixth consecutive month in which the rate exceeded 5%, the midpoint of the central bank's target range.

Despite the rising inflation, Governor Kamau Thugge anticipates that inflation will remain within the central bank's 2.5%-7.5% target range in the near term. The data also revealed that food prices showed mixed trends between August and September, with some items increasing in price while others became cheaper. Similarly, transport prices had contrasting movements, with domestic fares declining while international air travel costs spiked.