Uganda and Rwanda’s central banks have issued public warnings against turning banknotes into decorative “money bouquets”, days after Kenya’s central bank cautioned against the same practice.
In their notices, the banks said people who fold, glue, tape or pin currency into gift arrangements damage the notes and disrupt cash-handling systems, including ATMs and counting machines.
Money bouquet crackdown targets florists and event planners
The Bank of Uganda warned that any act that “mutilates, defaces, or compromises the integrity” of the Uganda shilling is prohibited. It singled out money bouquets, money cakes and other decorative gifts that use adhesives and fasteners.
Similarly, the National Bank of Rwanda warned against using Rwandan franc notes for celebratory and decorative purposes. It said willfully defacing or impairing currency constitutes an offence under national law.
Banks cite damage to ATMs and higher replacement costs
All three regulators said the trend makes notes unfit for mechanical processing. The Central Bank of Kenya said folding, rolling, gluing, taping, stapling and pinning banknotes increases rejections in cash-processing equipment and forces early withdrawal and replacement of currency.
Uganda’s central bank made a similar point. It said damaged notes jam processing systems and trigger premature replacement, which raises costs for the public.
Kenya’s earlier notice set the regional tone
Kenya’s central bank issued its public notice on February 2, 2026, after it said it had seen a growing use of Kenya shilling notes for bouquets and ornamental displays. It also reminded the public that the law prohibits the defacement, mutilation or impairment of currency notes.
The new notices in Uganda and Rwanda reinforce a shared message across the region: people can still give cash as a gift, but they should keep banknotes intact so they remain usable in the financial system.
