NAIROBI, Kenya — Inflation in Kenya dipped marginally to 4.3 per cent in February, down from 4.4 per cent in January, as lower fuel and power prices provided relief to households, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reported.
This marks the second consecutive monthly decline, following 4.5 per cent in December 2025.
Drivers of the Decline
Transport-related costs showed mixed trends, but fuel prices fell significantly.
Diesel and petrol dropped by 2.3 per cent each, while country bus and matatu fares declined by 1.4 per cent, easing commuting costs for millions of Kenyans.
Energy costs also moderated. The price of 50 kWh of electricity fell by 2.9 per cent, and 200 kWh decreased by 2.7 per cent.
Kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dipped 0.6 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively.
Food prices moved variably. Sugar, mangoes, and white wheat flour fell by 4.4, 3.2, and 0.8 per cent, respectively, while kale (sukumawiki) rose 2.4 per cent, and cabbage and potatoes each increased 4.0 per cent.
Annual Inflation Pressures
On a year-on-year basis, inflationary pressures were driven by increases in food and non-alcoholic beverages (7.3 per cent), transport (4.0 per cent), and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels (1.8 per cent).
Together, these three categories account for over 57 per cent of the consumer basket.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, eased to 2.1 per cent from 2.2 per cent in January.
Non-core inflation, which reflects price changes in volatile items, also moderated slightly to 10.1 per cent from 10.3 per cent.
The decline in fuel, power, and select food items contributed to overall relief for households and businesses dependent on road transport and electricity, signalling a slight moderation in cost-of-living pressures for February.
