CBK warns Kenyans against "money bouquet" as Valentines beckons

The Central Bank of Kenya has warned citizens against using banknotes to create bouquets and decorations that resemble flowers, as this practice has become increasingly popular.

Celebrities and internet influencers have made them popular by posting videos of themselves delivering these bouquets at parties, and they are frequently ordered in the lead-up to Valentine's Day.

Notes of various colours and values are rolled and then secured together in a fashion that resembles a bunch of flowers to create the cash bouquets. However, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) claims that the artists are defacing Kenyan currency and that they might be imprisoned for seven years.

The banknotes are frequently "folded, coiled, glued, stapled, pinned or otherwise affixed using adhesives or fastening materials... damaging their integrity," according to the CBK.

According to the CBK's statement released on Monday, this was having an impact on devices like cash-counting machines and automated teller machines (ATMs). It further stated that the cash flowers had resulted in more notes being rejected and needless expenses for the bank and the general population to replace the currency.

The bank, however, stated that it did not object to the usage of cash as gifts and advised people to find other means that would not harm the banknotes.

Since Kenya is one of the world's leading flower-growing countries, some people have praised the move, arguing that fresh flowers would make a more meaningful Valentine's Day gift on February 14.