Kenyan Uchumi Supermarkets' H1 profit up 26 pct

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's Uchumi Supermarkets increased sales to post a 26 percent jump in pretax profit to 204 million shillings during its first half ended December, the retail chain said on Friday.

An official at the company, the second-biggest chain store, by turnover after privately held Nakumatt, told Reuters by telephone the profit increased after sales revenue rose.

Shares in Uchumi resumed trading at the bourse in May last year after a five year suspension due to insolvency, which was caused by huge debts to banks and suppliers.