Goodbye to currency bearing portraits of Kenyatta, Moi

Kenya is expected to start issuing the new generation currency beginning April next year, with the process expected to end by June 2018.

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Patrick Njoroge on Friday confirmed that the bank has began  the process of designing and ultimately printing of the much awaited notes and coins, which will no longer bear portraits of former presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki.

Issuance of the new-look currency is in accordance with the 2010 Constitution that prohibits the use of images or portraits of individuals on Kenyan currency and instead dictates the use of symbols that depict aspects of national unity.

Last week De La Rue, a firm that prints currency for Kenyan government, filed a petition at the High Court challenging the printing process on grounds that CBK unduly locked them out of the tendering exercise for the multi billion shillings job.

However, the court on Friday cleared the tendering process, giving a green-light for printing of the new generation currency.

“We expect to issue new generation currency sometime in the second quarter of 2018,” said Njoroge.