Valentine’s Day cash bouquets could land Kenyans in legal trouble, Central Bank warns

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has warned the public against damaging currency banknotes, citing a rise in cash flower bouquets and ornamental displays that it says contravene the country’s Penal Code.

In a notice on Monday, the CBK said it has observed a rise in the use of Kenya Shilling notes to create cash flower bouquets, ornamental displays, and similar arrangements, particularly at weddings, graduations, and other celebrations. While the regulator said it does not object to cash being given as a gift, it stressed that such use should not involve any action that alters or defaces banknotes.

“Such practices compromise the integrity of Kenya Shilling banknotes and render them unsuitable for circulation,” CBK said. “The use of adhesives, pins, staples, and similar materials damages banknotes and interferes with the efficient operation of cash-handling and processing equipment, including automated teller machines (ATMs), cash counting machines, and sorting equipment.”

The warning comes ahead of Valentine’s Day, a period when cash flower bouquets and other ornamental money displays surge in popularity. The CBK is seeking to head off a seasonal spike in damaged banknotes, which drives up the cost of printing and replacing currency.

The regulator said that damaging currency is not just a technical issue but also a legal one. Section 367 of Kenya’s Penal Code prohibits the defacement, mutilation, or impairment of currency notes issued by the regulator.

“Currency should remain in a condition that allows it to circulate freely and perform its intended functions as a medium of exchange, unit of account and store of value,” the CBK said.

Despite the widespread use of digital payments such as M-Pesa and Airtel Money over the past decade, cash is still king in Kenya, with money bouquets emerging as a popular way to gift, a trend that has now caught the regulator’s eye.

CBK warned that the improper use of banknotes can also affect the quality, usability, and public confidence in the local currency.