Kenya removed images of the presidents of newly minted coins. This decision is seen as an attempt to prevent their glorification. The previous plays featured three former Kenyan leaders: Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki.
Many Kenyans saw it as an attempt by their leaders to promote themselves and personalize certain symbols of the state. The new plays are shot with images of the country’s rich wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes and rhinos.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Kenya’s top leader, Jomo Kenyatta, said the new coins were a “big change”. And showed that “our nation has come a long way”. The three predecessors of the former president had their images printed on the currency during their reign.
Kibaki, who won the elections in 2002, ending Mr. Moi’s 24-year reign, broke a promise not to print his image on the national currency. Intense public pressure led to the adoption of a new constitution in 2010 to anchor democracy and human rights.
It stipulates that money “must not bear the portrait of an individual”.
The central bank has met this requirement in the case of coins, and it is likely to do the same when it prints new notes.
The bank said the choice of animals gives “the physical expression of a newly born and prosperous Kenya”, and shows respect for the environment.
