“Kenya’s year-on-year inflation rate inched up to 7.21 percent in January, the statistics office said,” reports CNBC Africa.

While the January inflation increase is not large, it is the first since September. During September it increased to its 2013 high of 8.29 percent after a new sales tax came into force.

“Headline inflation remains contained, with major threats expected to escalate from May onwards due to grain imports and potential negative base effects,” said Alex Muiruri, a fixed-income trader at African Alliance Investment Bank.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages prices increased 1 percent , while housing, water, electricity and gas prices increased  0.87 percent.

Education costs jumped to 3.7 percent.