Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Patrick Njoroge unveiled the new generation banknotes on Saturday at the Madaraka Day celebrations in Narok County.
The new generation backnotes are already in circulation following their gazettement on Friday, May 31.
All the banknotes bear the images of the iconic Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and a statue of the founding President Jomo Kenyatta’s stature at KICC.
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“The CBK has now completed the process of producing the New Generation banknotes, in accordance with the constitution. I confirm that the New Generation banknotes were issued yesterday, May 31, 2019, by a Gazette Notice. They are now legal tender.” Njproge said.
CBK Governor said the move is intended to fight counterfeit practises.
According to CBK Governor the new bank notes bear a significant aspects of the nation and will serve as a means of passing knowledge, conserving culture and promoting Kenya’s global uniqueness.
Each banknote has a unique theme that show the richness of Kenyans and the Kenyan beautiful nature.
Njoroge said in his statement said the new banknotes has features that make them more accessible to the visually impaired persons.
Fifty shillings note bears images that symbolises green energy, one hundred shillings note symbolises agriculture while two hundred shillings note bear images that symbolises social services.
Ksh. 500 and Ksh. 1000 bear images symbolising tourism and governance respectively.
CBK further said the old Ksh.1000 notes should be out of circulation by October 1 this year. This means that Kenyans have four months to exchange the old notes.
“All the older Ksh.1000 series shall be withdrawn. All persons have until October 1, 2019 to exchange these notes, after which the older ones will cease to be legal tender,” Njoroge added.
CBK has urged Kenyans to hold up a note to the light and check for a lion’s head watermark from both sides of the note to determine its authenticity.
“If you tilt the angle, you will see the security thread changes colour from red to green on all banknotes,” according to the Central Bank of Kenya guidelines.
