The Kenyan shilling strengthened against three East African Community (EAC) currencies between October 22 and October 29, 2026, according to exchange rate data.
TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
The Kenyan shilling posted gains against three East African Community currencies during the week ending October 29, 2026, even as it slipped marginally against the US dollar.
The Kenyan shilling remains the strongest in the region. Photos: Samia Suluhu and William Ruto. Source: TwitterThis is according to data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
Against the dollar, the shilling edged down from KSh 129.91 on October 22 to KSh 129.96 on October 29, a slight depreciation that nonetheless left the currency broadly stable against major international benchmarks.
One Kenyan shilling bought 33.50 Ugandan shillings on October 29, up from 32.26 the previous week, a shift of 1.24 units, or approximately 3.84%.
Against the Tanzanian shilling, the movement was marginal. The exchange rate moved from 20.35 to 20.39 Tanzanian shillings per Kenyan shilling, a gain of 0.04 units or 0.20%.
A similarly small change was recorded against the Rwandan franc, which edged from 11.35 to 11.36 francs per Kenyan shilling, up 0.01 units or 0.09%.
The Burundian franc was the only EAC currency against which the shilling made no movement, with the rate holding steady at 23.08 francs throughout both reference dates.
Kenya's foreign exchange reserves remained at adequate levels during the same period. As of October 29, reserves remained at USD 14,740 million, providing 5.9 months of import cover.
This figure exceeds the CBK's statutory requirement, which obliges the bank to endeavour to maintain at least four months of import cover at all times.
The combination of stable dollar performance and regional currency gains reflects a broadly steady position for the shilling within the EAC trading bloc as the final quarter of 2026 progresses.
Japhet Ruto (Current Affairs and Business Editor) Japhet Ruto, an award-winning journalist, is a Business & Tech Editor at TUKO.co.ke (joined in 2019). Ruto has over nine years' experience and graduated from Moi University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Journalism. He won the 2019 BAKE Awards’ Agriculture Blog of the Year. . Best CA editor 2019-2022. Best TUKO business editor 2023-2026. Attended the 2026 immersion training on customs and trade facilitation for digital and mainstream media. Email: japhet.ruto@tuko.co.ke.
