With an acute shortage of coins reported in various areas as the festive season nears, a section of traders, shopkeepers and hoteliers have denied accusations they are holding the coins.
Consumers accuse the traders of hogging the coins in order to give sweets in exchange for the coins.
A spot checked in various supermarkets in Nakuru County indicates that consumers were receiving matchboxes, sweets and biscuits in exchange of coins contrary to the Central Bank regulations.
Duncan Mburu who owns a retail outlet in Nakuru Town admitted that the Central Bank had warned traders of giving customers alternative goods as change instead of coins but the circulation of ‘silvers’ especially during the festive season is an issue of concern.
“We don’t deny our customers their rights of obtaining their change in form of currency but sometimes we are forced by circumstances,” added Mburu.
Mburu denied that traders hold coins as a business strategy of selling sweets among other goods adding that some customers even prefer to leave behind a few coins.
“Shortage of coins is a headache even vegetable vendor and bus conductors face a similar mess like their counterparts in supermarkets, petrol stations and hotels,” he added.
But a section of customers want their change of less than 10 bob in form of currencies instead of receiving alternative change.
“A rude conductor in a matatu will always shut you up if you continue demanding a refund of an extra coin after paying fare,” noted Alex Wanga, a student at a local university in Nakuru.
Wanga claimed that he find it awkward when a cashier gives him sweets for coins adding that there was a day he wanted to buy kales worth Sh10 but he was unable to do so since he received five shilling coin and 5 sweets from a retail shop as change.
Molo traders’ association chairman Charles Muraya claimed that some consumers were holding coins in their home banks hindering the circulation of shillings.
Muraya said CBK had failed to provide adequate stock of coins prompting traders to settle transactions with small items in place of lower denomination coins.