The Central Bank of Kenya has opened a new CBK Kisii Centre in Kisii County officiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Centre will serve seven counties in the region namely Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Bomet, Homa Bay, and parts of Narok and Kericho counties, with a population of over 7 million people contributing to about 12 percent of Kenya’s GDP.
The opening of the Kisii currency centre is expected to minimize theft of cash in transit in the region but also reduce transport cost for the banks in the area which relies on the Kisumu branch to supply them with currency.
The new unit will become the fourth currency centre after Nyeri, Nakuru and Meru on top of CBK main branches in Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret.
According to Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge the currency centre which is one of the most modern in the country, would support economic growth in the counties through the provision of services to residents, county governments, and commercial banks.
The facility will also have other benefits such as issuing clean notes to customers, improving the quality of currency in circulation in the region.
CBK collaborated with commercial banks through the Kenya Bankers Association to establish the currency centre.