By Our Reporter

The Annual Headline Inflation rate for the year ending December 2012 rose to 5.5% from 4.9% registered for the year ended November 2012,Uganda National Bureau of Statistics reports.

The Annual Core  Inflation rate, which excludes food crops, fuel, electricity and metered water rose to 4.6% for the year ending December 2012 from the 3.9% registered for the year ended November 2012.

Similarly, Energy, Fuel and Utilities (EFU) Annual Inflation rose to 14.0% for the year ending December 2012 compared to 13.8% registered for the year ended November 2012.

However, Food Crops Annual Inflation rate decreased to 7.3% for the year ending December 2012 compared to the 7.5% for the year ended November 2012. The average annual Inflation rate for the 2012 calendar year is 14.0% compared to 18.7% that was recorded for the calendar year 2011.

Kampala High Income registered the highest Annual Headline Inflation rate of 8.1% from 8.0% in November 2012. This was driven by high price levels for alcoholic beverages, rent, electricity, metred water, transport fares and education. Mbarara recorded the second highest annual Headline Inflation rate of 7.5%, up from 4.9% in November 2012. The main inflation drivers were high price levels for alcoholic beverages, rent, firewood, water, electricity and education.

Masaka recorded the third highest Annual Inflation rate of 6.4% from 7.1% in November 2012. This was driven by high price levels for household & personal goods, rent, electricity, water, education and medical services.