The cost of cooking gas in Kenya has increased for three consecutive months in 2024. Kenyans have to dig deeper into their pockets to refill gas cylinders. What’s the cost of cooking gas in Kenya? According to the latest data released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), refilling a 13kg cylinder cost an average of KSh 3,231.84 in March, up from KSh 3,187.10 in February. In January, the commodity retailed at an average price of KSh 3,137.70. “The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ index increased by 0.2% between February 2024 and March 2024 mainly due an increase in prices of gas/LPG by 1.4%,” KNBS stated. The new average is lower than the peak of KSh 3,218 reached in June 2022 when disruptions from the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February of the same year, affected the world economy. A spot check revealed that on Tuesday, April 2, sales at some retail locations reached as high as KSh 3,330, while refill costs at some locations dropped to KSh 3,090, below the national average. How gov’t plans to increase gas uptake The Ministry of Energy aims to double the consumption of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) by 2028 as part of its efforts to improve the quality of life for Kenyans. Davis Chirchir, the Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, presented the ambitious goals of the National LPG Growth Strategy during a recent workshop with stakeholders. Chirchir’s plan includes distributing LPG cylinders to 4.5 million low-income households to expand access to clean cooking solutions and reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal. What was Kenya’s inflation in March? Prices of basic food items significantly dropped in the first quarter of 2024. The KNBS reported a significant decrease in inflation to 5.7% in March 2024. This represented a 0.6% drop from the 6.3% inflation rate reported in February 2024. There was a significant decrease in the prices of sugar, maize flour, and other basic food items. A spot check by TUKO.co.ke showed that a 2kg packet of unga retailed at an average of KSh 130 across supermarkets, while a 2kg packet of sugar sold for a minimum of KSh 300.
by Japhet Ruto