Year-on-year, prices rose faster for food and non-alcoholic beverages (11.8 percent vs 11 percent in March); transport (1.9 percent vs 1.5 percent) and clothing and footwear (3.9 percent vs 3.4 percent). In contrast, cost increased less for housing and utilities (5.8 percent vs 6.8 percent); restaurants and hotels (0.8 percent vs 3.6 percent) and furnishings (3.1 percent vs 3.9 percent) and prices fell further for communication (-0.5 percent vs -0.1 percent).
Annual core inflation, which excludes food and energy, was rose to 2.3 percent from 2.2 percent.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up 0.5 percent, following 1.4 percent growth in March, boosted by a 1.3 percent increase in cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages, namely maize grains (4.8 percent), maize flour (7.1 percent), lentils (6.5 percent), round potatoes (4 percent), tomatoes (7.8 percent), coconut (6.9 percent), cassava (5.9 percent) and onions (3.5 percent). Additional upward pressure came from transport (0.4 percent), clothing and footwear (0.6 percent) and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.4 percent).