Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo has revealed controversial details regarding the Kenyan currency currently in circulation.
While speaking to NTV’s Trevor Ombija on Tuesday 14th regarding impunity in Kenya, Amollo divulged that all notes bearing founding President Jomo Kenyatta’s image have the same date, 16th July 2010.
According to Amollo the government has been making new notes then backdating them because if they had a later date, it would be against the Kenyan constitution.
“We have the constitution which says that the notes of this country will not bear the image of any person – that was in August 2010. Seven years later we have notes that bear the image of the founding president.
I respect the founding president but we should respect the Constitution more. So we have a situation where, and I dare you if you have any note, you will see that the notes you have read 16 July 2010.
We are now manufacturing notes and backdating it because if it was to read any later date, then it will be expressly against the Constitution.
So we must create the impression that the money we have been using for the last seven years were printed seven years ago. That is impunity,” Amollo said.
Article 231 (4) of the new constitution promulgated on 27th August 2010 states:
Notes and Coins issued by the Central Bank of Kenya may bear images that depict or symbolize an aspect of Kenya but shall not bear the portrait of an individual.
Activist Okiyah Omtatah recently moved to court seeking orders to have the Central Bank and its governor, Patrick Njoroge, ordered to implement the new generation currency according to the Constitution.
