Kenya’s Parliament Endorses Landmark Bill to Protect Cash Users

By Frane Maroevic, Director General, International Currency Association

The Kenyan National Assembly’s Committee on Finance and National Planning has recently endorsed an amendment to the Central Bank of Kenya Bill to protect the use of cash in face-to-face commerce.

Under the proposed legislation, all businesses dealing with customers in person would be required to accept cash payments of up to KSh 100,000. Providers would also be barred from penalising customers who choose to pay with legal tender, ensuring that surcharges are not applied to payments made using notes and coins.

Non-compliance could result in fines of up to KSh 100,000, an amount modest, perhaps, but still a credible deterrent.

The committee has also proposed a set of specific exemptions. Businesses operating in high-risk zones, where handling cash could pose security threats, may be excluded.

Government service points such as Huduma Centres would remain largely cashless unless particular circumstances require otherwise. Transactions exceeding KSh 500,000 may also remain digital by default.

International Currency Association Director General Frane Maroevic has commended this initiative, especially the emphasis on ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities, who, as National Assembly Committee Vice Chair Benjamin Langat stressed, must not be marginalised by an exclusively digital system.

While platforms such as M-Pesa and Airtel Money are increasingly popular in Kenya, cash remains the backbone of daily trade, particularly for marginalised communities and individuals without digital access. Cash is not an outdated relic; it is a fundamental right.

As this Bill moves forward, we encourage citizens, businesses, and policymakers alike to recognise the social value of cash. Using cash today helps ensure its continued availability for all tomorrow.