Charcoal prices jumped to their highest level in 78 months in June, deepening the squeeze on poor families already grappling with rising prices of alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene.
Fresh data shows the average national price of a kilo of charcoal hit Sh96.79 in June 2026, the highest point since January 2020, when it stood at Sh152.25, marking a relentless demand-fuelled rally in the cost of the commodity.