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Seasoned lawyer and Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo has revealed that the unveiled bank notes that were unveiled by President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday contravene the constitution and as such are illegal.
The lawyer whose eloquence and mastery of the constitution is in a class of its own revealed that the notes are contrary to Article 231(4) of the Constitution.
Otiende Amollo opined that by bearing the image and portrait of Kenya’s founding President Jomo Kenyatta, the notes contravene the constitution.
“Have Seen The New Notes Unveiled. I’m personally persuaded they’re contrary to A. 231(4) of the Constitution, to the extent that they bear the image & potrait Of The founding President.” He stated.
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A screen shot of Otiende Amollo's tweet
Section 231(4) of the 2010 Constitution stipulates that “Notes and coins issued by the CBK may bear images that depict or symbolise Kenya or an aspect of Kenya, but shall not bear the portrait of any individual”.
He also wondered why the CBK would settle on an image that depicts an individual, questioning if the country has run short of images that depict Kenya.
“Are we short of Images that depict Kenya? Thumbs down on this!” He asked.
The new bank notes were unveiled during Madaraka Day celebrations in Narok County and will replace the ones currently in circulation.
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The new banknotes unveiled by the Central Bank of Kenya during the Madaraka Day celebration in Narok
The old Ksh 1000 notes will be withdrawn in graft war even as the country seeks to tame runaway corruption in the country.
Speaking when he unveiled the new legal tender at the Madaraka Day celebrations in Narok, CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge said that “All the older Ksh.1000 series shall be withdrawn.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”.