The Embassy, in a Twitter post, stated that the decision was due to the directive by the Central Bank of Kenya that the Ksh 1,000 old notes will no longer be in circulation starting October 1, 2019.
NOTICE: The U.S. Embassy’s consular section will not accept old KSH 1,000 notes after September 12, 2019. This is due to the directive of the @CBKKenya that 1,000 shilling notes of the old design will no longer be legal tender on October 1, 2019. pic.twitter.com/z2ZoKeWV6T
— U.S. Embassy Nairobi (@USEmbassyKenya) September 5, 2019
However, the embassy assured Kenyans that old notes of lower denominations would still be acceptable since they will continue being legal tender after the October 1 deadline.
“Please note that older bills of lesser denominations (500, 200, 100, and 50) will continue to be legal tender after October 1, and will be accepted by the consular section,” read the tweet.
While launching the new banknotes on June 1, CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge stated that retiring the old Ksh 1,000 notes was aimed at stopping illicit cash flows in the country.
According to the latest CBK data, Kenyans have since returned Ksh25 billion in circulation following the order.
Dr Njoroge, in earlier media addresses, assured Kenyans that the deadline would not be extended.
“Those notes will be mere papers come October 1. We have enough new notes in circulation, people should follow the necessary procedure and exchange at nearest banks or CBK,” Njoroge told a local radio station last month.
All other denominations are will continue to circulate alongside the new generation currency.