2010 Kenya 50 Shillings – Jomo Kenyatta & Coastal Heritage | P‑47e

The 2010 Kenya 50 Shillings (P‑47e) is part of the final portrait‑era series issued before Kenya’s 2019 banknote redesign. Featuring Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the nation’s first President, and imagery celebrating Kenya’s coastal trade routes, this note represents the closing chapter of a long‑running design tradition.


Historical Context

The P‑47e variety belongs to the last printings of the 2003–2010 series. Key contextual points:

These were the final Kenyan banknotes to feature political figures, which were removed in the 2019 constitution‑aligned redesign.

The 50 Shillings note highlights Kenya’s coastal economy, symbolised by the Mombasa tusks and camel caravans—historic markers of trade and cultural exchange.

Printed by De La Rue, the series reflects Kenya’s early‑2000s emphasis on national unity, economic growth and modernisation.


Key Features & Specifications

Issuer: Kenya

Issuing Authority: Central Bank of Kenya (Benki Kuu ya Kenya)
Period: Republic (1963–present)
Type: Standard circulation banknote
Year: 2010
Value: 50 Shillings
Currency: Kenyan Shilling (1966–present)
Composition: Paper
Size: 138 × 72 mm
Shape: Rectangular
Reference: P‑47e
Printer: De La Rue, London


Obverse

Front‑right facing portrait of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta at left centre
Kenyan coat of arms at upper centre
Denomination 50 in multiple positions
Bilingual inscriptions in English and Swahili:
BANKI KUU YA KENYA
CENTRAL BANK OF KENYA
SHILINGI HAMSINI
LEGAL TENDER FOR FIFTY SHILLINGS
Motto HARAMBE (“All pull together”)
Signature of the Board of Directors


Reverse

Dromedary caravan moving toward the right
Mombasa tusks at left, symbolising the coastal gateway to East Africa
Large numeral 50


Watermark

Lion’s head
Denomination watermark