Former Makadara MP Bernard Mutura now says that the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) will need to use another tact if it seeks to nab people holding money acquired illegally.
This comes a week after CBK governor Patrick Njoroge recalled all Sh1000 notes, in a bid to deal with corruption cartels thought to be keeping money put of banks.
But Mutura now argues that the attempt will be futile and will not manage to capture anyone, saying that there is no constitutional section compelling people to keep money in banks.
Speaking on Radio Jambo's Mazungumzo Waziwazi show on Saturday morning, the ex-MP said that each Kenyan has a right to store their money wherever they want, and cannot be arrested because they keep their money at home.
"Hakuna mtu atapatikana hata mmoja maana Njoroge ameingiza siasa. Kuweka billioni moja nyumbani sio kuvunja sheria. Watu kama wanabiashara ama shylock lazima wawe na pesa nyumbani. Hii ni at your own risk.
(Not even a single person will be found because Njoroge has incorporated politics into this issue. There is nothing illegal with storing 1 billion at home, people like businesspeople and Shylocks must do it. You do it at your own risk," he said.
He faulted the CBK for criminalizing people having money, saying that it should engage itself in more relevant matters like boosting revenue collection.
"CBK ingekimbizana na wanaokwepa kulipa ushuru (CBK should instead by chasing after those evading taxes)," he added.
Njoroge has since directed banks not to accept huge amounts of money in the Sh1000 dimension without proper explanation on their sources.
He said that the notes will cease being legal tender on October 1.