This archive report was first published on 13 September 2019.
As the deadline for exchanging old Ksh.1000 notes approaches, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) is urging Kenyans to check on their grandmothers and advise them to exchange their old currency before it's too late.
CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge noted that grandmothers are often 'epic savers' and may not be aware that the old currency will cease to be legal tender soon.
Responding to a tweet from popular comedian Mwalimu Churchill, Dr. Njoroge said: 'You probably didn’t see a related CBK tweet that went viral. People are now urging their mothers and grandmothers not to miss the September 30 deadline.'
CBK rolled out the new currency on June 1 this year in a bid to deal with money laundering and enhance the fight against corruption.
However, the stripping of the Ksh.1000 note of its status as legal tender, known as demonetisation, will only affect the old notes, while other denominations (Ksh.100, Ksh.200, and Ksh.500) will continue to be in circulation.
On Friday, a section of Kenyans responded to the tweets from Mwalimu Churchill and Dr. Njoroge, sharing their own experiences with their grandmothers still holding onto the old notes.
