Kenya’s annual inflation rate rose to 6.8% in September 2026, up from 6.6% in August, as higher food and transport costs continued to put pressure on household budgets. The latest figures were released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on September 30.
The increase means that the general price level in September was 6.8% higher than in September 2025. The Consumer Price Index also increased by 0.4% between August and September.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded annual inflation of 9.5%, making food one of the major contributors to the overall increase.
Several commonly purchased food items became more expensive during September. UHT long-life milk increased by 8%, fresh packeted milk by 6%, cabbage by 6.2%, and white wheat flour by 4.5%. However, some items became cheaper, including tomatoes, whose prices fell by 4.1%.
Transport recorded annual inflation of 15.6%, significantly above the overall inflation rate. KNBS identified food, transport, and housing-related costs as the three major divisions driving inflation; together, they account for more than 57% of the CPI basket.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels recorded annual inflation of 3.2%.
The latest figures indicate continued pressure on the cost of living, particularly for households that spend a large share of their income on food and transportation.
For savers and investors, rising inflation also matters because it can reduce the purchasing power of money over time. An investment or savings product needs to generate a return that is competitive with inflation if an investor wants to preserve purchasing power.
Read more: Kenya’s Inflation Climbs to 4.1%
