Uganda and Rwanda\u2019s central banks have issued public warnings against turning banknotes into decorative \u201cmoney bouquets\u201d, days after Kenya\u2019s central bank cautioned against the same practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bank of Uganda warned that any act that \u201cmutilates, defaces, or compromises the integrity\u201d of the Uganda shilling is prohibited. It singled out money bouquets, money cakes and other decorative gifts that use adhesives and fasteners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uganda\u2019s central bank made a similar point. It said damaged notes jam processing systems and trigger premature replacement, which raises costs for the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Uganda and Rwanda\u2019s central banks have issued public warnings against turning banknotes into decorative \u201cmoney bouquets\u201d, days after Kenya\u2019s 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. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3694,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\n