Jael Keya
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament (MP) Simon Mbugua has filed a petition that seeks to oust Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Patrick Njoroge for allegedly flouting the law with new bank notes.
The petition has also challenged the rolling out of the new currency notes that were unveiled during Madaraka Day celebrations.
According to the legislator, CBK did not involve the public in the printing and unveiling of the new currencies.
In his application, Mbugua wants the court to issue orders stopping the implementation of the new currencies pending the hearing of the case.
Read: CBK Governor Njoroge Launches New Bank Notes As He Announces Abolishment of Old Ksh1,000 Notes
He added that the portrait of the founding President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, on the notes contravenes the Constitution.
His application has been filed after activist Okiya Omtatah petitioned the rolling out of the notes on claims that the banknotes still contain the portraits of Jomo Kenyatta thus violating the Constitution.
“Specifically, it violates Article 231 Clause 4, and therefore, they [banknotes] are null and void. They have no effect in law and must be rejected,” Omtatah told a local daily.
Read also: DP Ruto’s Allies Fault CBK’s Deadline To Phase Out Old Ksh1000 Notes
The activist added that he will also move to court to seek invalidation the money insisting that the government must act according to the law.
Speaking after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s speech at Narok during the celebrations, Njoroge mentioned that the new currency “will be immune to corruption”.
“We have launched new banknotes in accordance with the constitution.We are withdrawing all the older Ksh1,000 bank notes. The new banknotes will be immune to corruption,” he asserted.
He further noted that Kenyans have until October 1, 2019, to exchange all the older bank notes.
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