The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) says there was wide public participation and stakeholder engagement in the design and imagery on the new currency notes.
This is in response to a suit challenging the use of founding President Jomo Kenyatta’s portrait on the currency.
CBK legal director Mr Kennedy Abuga told the court that two notices were published in newspapers inviting individuals, institutions, organisations and professional bodies to present their proposals on the elements they wanted to be featured on the new notes.
Abuga said it was realised that the guiding themes would be using images showing Kenya reborn and the country’s prosperity.
“I wish to confirm that following the publication of the notices, CBK received proposals from many individuals, institutions, organisations and professional bodies on the design of the new currency. But Mr Okiya Omtatah did not present his proposal, hence the current design was settled on,” Mr Abuga submitted.
The CBK says the Kenyatta International Convention Centre has a unique design that features a dazzling fountain and a statue of the founding president.
Further, the CBK argues that the issues raised by Mr Omtatah had been determined in a case in 2017, and, therefore, they cannot be raised in a fresh suit.
Abuga also said CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge was appointed long after the process of designing the new currency had started, so he cannot be blamed for it. He urged the court to dismiss Mr Omtatah’s petition.
The case was forwarded to Chief Justice David Maraga who will constitute a bench of judges to determine it.
