Uganda’s headline inflation has been recorded at 3.8 percent ,the same rate registered in July according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS).
Releasing the latest Consumer Price Index figures, Aliziki Khauda Lubega, the Director of Microeconomic Statistics at UBOS, said the decline reflects moderating price pressures across several categories, despite notable increases in services and food items.
On a month-to-month basis, inflation stood at 0.2 percent in August, up from a contraction of 0.1 percent in July. Core inflation also eased slightly to 0.1 percent in August compared to 0.2 percent in the previous month.
“The drivers of this monthly inflation were mainly services inflation, which rose to 0.4 percent in August from 0.3 percent in July, and other goods inflation, particularly processed items, which dropped by 0.2 percent after rising by 0.1 percent in July,” Lubega explained.
Among services, freight charges increased by 4.1 percent compared to 3.5 percent in July, while television and radio tax charges jumped by 3.5 percent, up from 1.4 percent in the previous month.
In the food basket, the most significant increases were registered in sweet potatoes, which surged by 14.2 percent in August from 1.1 percent in July; papayas, up by 20.8 percent from a 0.9 percent fall; and mangoes, which rose by 9.6 percent compared to a 3.6 percent drop in July. Dry beans also edged up by 1.2 percent.
Other goods such as live chicken and laundry soap saw price hikes of 9.8 percent and 0.8 percent respectively.
Energy, fuel and utilities inflation also inched up, with charcoal prices climbing 3.2 percent in August from 1.6 percent in July, and petrol rising by 0.3 percent after a 0.2 percent decline the previous month.
Regionally, Kampala’s high-income segment registered the highest annual inflation at 5.3 percent, driven by accommodation, restaurant and transport costs. Masaka followed at 4.6 percent, while Mbale recorded the lowest rate at zero percent.
Lubega noted that while some food items and fuels exerted upward pressure, average prices of staples such as dry beans were lower compared to last year, reflecting signs of stability.