Trade deficit up 46pc as imports rise sharply

Imports tied to the SGR and machinery also pushed up the bill. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Kenya’s trade deficit worsened by 46 per cent in the first five months of the year, with the country’s import bill recording a sharp jump on higher capital equipment purchases.

Latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows the gap between imports and exports grew to Sh454.9 billion in the five months to May, compared to Sh311.8 billion in a similar period last year.

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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.