One Kenyan Shilling Now Buys 33.50 Ugandan Shillings, Here’s Why It Matters

The Kenyan shilling strengthened against three East African Community currencies in the week ending October 29, 2026, even as it slipped marginally against the US dollar, data from the Central Bank of Kenya shows.

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 left the currency broadly stable against major international benchmarks.

The standout regional move came against the Ugandan shilling. One Kenyan shilling bought 33.50 Ugandan shillings on October 29, up from 32.26 the previous week, a shift of about 3.84%.

Gains against Tanzania and Rwanda were marginal. The rate moved from 20.35 to 20.39 Tanzanian shillings per Kenyan shilling, up 0.20%, and from 11.35 to 11.36 Rwandan francs, up 0.09%. The Burundian franc was the only EAC currency with no movement, holding at 23.08.

Kenya’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 14,740 million as of October 29, covering 5.9 months of import needs, comfortably above the CBK’s statutory minimum of four months.

The numbers land amid a wider regional story: the Ugandan shilling has suffered a historic depreciation in recent weeks, with reports that President Museveni has declined to tap the country’s thin forex reserves.

The bottom line for Kenyans: the shilling remains the strongest currency in the EAC trading bloc entering the final quarter of 2026, though all eyes stay on the dollar rate as EPRA reviews fuel prices.

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