Kenya's inflation rose to 19.1 percent in March compared to 18.9 percent in the previous month, the country's central bank officials said on Monday.

A statement from Kenya's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) attributed the increase in overall month-to-month inflation to sharp increases in the price of essential food items owing to the prevailing drought which is currently ravaging parts of the east African nation.

On average, the price of food and nonalcoholic drinks increased by 2.6 percent last month compared to prices in February, said the CBS.

"This was mainly attributed to a rise in prices of English potatoes, dry beans, tomatoes, meat, onion, sugar and carrots," it added.

The CBS collects its date every second and third week of the month from shops in 13 urban towns throughout Kenya. Its data is perceived to be representatives of the spending behavior of Kenyan urban households.

Source: Xinhua