The Kenyan shilling, popularly referred to as ‘KES’, is the official currency of Kenya, Sudan and Somalia. It is a member of the East African shilling which is subdivided into 100 cents. Such subdivisions are known as ‘sente’ in Kenya. The KES has maintained its status as one of the most stable currencies in East Africa since its introduction in 1966.

Throughout the years, the KES has been influencing the value of other currencies in the region, such as the Somalia Shilling, Tanzanian Shilling, Uganda Shilling and South Sudanese Pound. It is also one of the most frequently used currencies when trading goods and services in neighboring countries in the East African region. In addition to its role as a medium of exchange, it has also been used as a storage of wealth by people who may regard it as a safe haven for their funds.

The shilling coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Meanwhile, the KES banknotes are available in the denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 respectively.

Since its introduction to the East African region, the Kenyan shilling has been instrumental in enhancing financial inclusion and trade within the region. It has provided the necessary tools for people to be able to purchase goods and services without having to exchange foreign currencies for the local tender. Furthermore, it has also enabled the governments of the aforementioned countries to implement monetary policy and stabilise their respective economies.

The KES is an essential component of the East African region’s progress towards attaining financial stability and economic growth. Itleverages the relatively strong performance of the Kenyan economy to promote a common currency within the regional market, therefore allowing ease of movement of goods and services. As such, the success of the KES lies in its ability to sustain its standing as a safe-haven currency within the region, as this will ensure its robust performance in the future.