Design Concept for New Kenya Currency Evokes Confusion and Excitement in Equal Measure

According to Kenya’s new constitution, as from 2010, Kenya’s legal tender cannot bear the images of individuals, be it founding fathers or former presidents. Since then, Kenyans have been eagerly waiting to see the newly redesigned shilling notes but it has not yet happened, due to unknown circumstances.

Well, a talented Kenyan designer we could only identify as Dicky Jr went ahead and came up with his own concept of how the modern Kenyan shilling would look like. He posted his work on Behance and shortly after, his design work was all over social media with some claiming the concept to be the actual new notes. Here are the design concepts (swipe to view):

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Well, reactions from Kenyans on Twitter on these “new notes” were mixed, with some liking the design and others outright hating it – some claiming that the new design looks like concert tickets:

Jambo Kenya, meet your new Currency! 🇰🇪💵 pic.twitter.com/lr8G6tVvAj

— KENYAN PUNDIT🔗 (@Muriithi_Mwai) January 3, 2018

Euro vs the proposed Ksh notes. pic.twitter.com/d35IR1dJkc

— Kenfrey Kiberenge (@KenKiberenge) January 3, 2018

Ako hizi ni pesa ama ticko za concert? pic.twitter.com/0infjCoHK9

— JaKaruoth (@theMagunga) January 3, 2018

The new currency notes? Looking more than beautiful. They are enchanting https://t.co/XMCYRhbJwv

— SokoAnalyst (@SokoAnalyst) January 3, 2018

Is this the type of beauty where someone reacts with multiple love emojis? I'm talking: 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

— Alphonce Okoyo (@Alphonce_Okoyo) January 3, 2018

Samples of the new Kenya currency. Currency should be in use by June 2018 pic.twitter.com/uo0J9LnDUk

— Mash (@MashBismark) January 4, 2018

These money looks like Kenya will loosing strength economically by the way they look. This cheap and ugly currency. We can shade off that kikuyu on the notes with black and leave the notes the way they are currently.

— H.E. President of Ke (@Isaacmakone) January 3, 2018

A huge dissapointment for the slaying community in Kenya as they are not represented in the new currency notes pic.twitter.com/BTSmVo7OlU

— Albo ™ (@albo_albert) January 3, 2018

Well, due to the confusion on social media and the claims that these could be the new notes we will be getting in circulation soon, thanks to the dark web (WhatsApp) where people share and forward pictures without context, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has released a statement through its Head of Communications, Wallace Kantai. CBK has distanced itself from the images emphasising that neither the government nor the CBK commissioned the project. Mr Kantai has as well warned those circulating the media against misquoting his office as having sanctioned or condemned the proposed notes.