The annual rate of inflation has remained at 7.9 per cent for January, 2019, with food and non-alcoholic beverages accounting for 4.3 per cent, according to Central Statistical Office (CSO) data.

Announcing Zambia’s annual rate of inflation for the month of January, CSO acting director of census and statistics Daniel Daka said food items and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 4.3 per cent, while non-food items accounted for 3.6 per cent.

Daka noted that there was, however, a sharp increase in transportation in terms of the year-on-year comparison between January, 2018, and January, 2019.

“The year-on-year inflation rate as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January, 2019, was recorded at 7.9 per cent. This means that
This means that on average, prices of goods and services increased by 7.9 per cent between January, 2018, and January, 2019,” Daka told journalists in Lusaka, Thursday.

“Of the total 7.9 per cent annual inflation rate recorded in January, 2019, food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 4.3 percentage points, while non-food items accounted for a total of 3.6 percentage points. Of the 3.6 percentage points, transport contributed the highest at 1.1 percentage point followed by housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels that contributed 0.8. Health; communication and; restaurant and hotels accounted for the least at 0.0 percentage points each.”