Recently, there has been a major spike in fuel and food prices in Kenya and as well as other parts of Africa due to inflation, and other countries generally increasing petrol prices.

The prices of local food staples in impoverished Somalia have risen by a staggering 240 percent in the past nine months, contributing to further depleted living standards. Kenya’s inflation level is hanging above 6 percent. Also, Rwanda experienced almost a 1 percent increase in inflation in 1 month, while Tanzania and Uganda experienced only small volumes of inflation. Rwanda has been turning to Uganda for maize imports.

Higher petrol costs have been seen around the world because of planned product cuts by countries that are and are not in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). There have been cuts due to the decreased demand for petrol, resulting from the increasing costs of basic necessities, causing people to spend  their income differently. Also, because of ongoing environmental concerns.

The higher food prices are a direct result of food shortages in the region. Maize flour, tomatoes and sugar have seen the most severe increase in prices due to demand and supply forces. The food shortages caused by current weather conditions are unusual but very destroying to agriculture. Similar conditions have been experienced all around the world.

The rapidly rising food prices has led to a wave of street protests and political turmoil, leading to extra conflicts in countries that already have lots of humanitarian issues.

It is important to note that the inflation of necessities will increase the gap between the wealthiest and poorest citizens of countries, as poor individuals tend to have a higher marginal propensity to consume than wealthy people. When the prices of these necessities increase, the poor have to spend an even higher proportion of their low income on these items. The wealthier spend a lower proportion of their income on the necessities, meaning it doesn’t affect them as much.

Also, people generally pay above the inflation rate for food because food is a necessity, and they don’t have a choice. Multinational companies know this and take advantage of everyone even the poor, and exploit the prices of food because they know they can get away with it.

Recent times will go down in the books as a time when the richer have become richer, and the poorer have become poorer due to the natural environment/weather conditions and human indecency.