Kenya has issued new currency notes, five years after redesigning the banknotes. In a statement, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) says new security features had been added to the bank notes that were introduced in June 2019. This could be due to counterfeiting, which was one of the reasons the existing banknotes were introduced in June 2019.
The CBK says it “has made some changes to the denominations of the Kenyan currency banknotes. The banknotes bear:
- The signature of the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, Dr. Kamau Thugge,
- The signature of the Principal Secretary, National Treasury, Dr. Chris Kiptoo,
- The year of print – 2024, and
- New security threads with colour changing effects that are specific to each denomination.”
Just like was the case 62 months ago, the CBK says introduction of the new currency notes will start at the highest level.
The “Release of the banknotes will commence with KES 1,000, while other denominations will progressively follow in the coming months,” says the CBK.
The changes affect all bank notes, which are in the denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000.
Holders of the Kenyan currency need not panic as the central bank says “All banknotes currently in circulation remain legal tender and will circulate alongside the released banknotes.”