The Kenyan shilling has maintained stability against the US dollar, trading at KSh129.81 despite a decline in money sent home by Kenyans living abroad in September 2026.

Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) shows that diaspora remittances fell to $438.5 million (approximately KSh56.9 billion) in September, down from $451.8 million recorded in August.

The decline represents a reduction of about $13.3 million, equivalent to approximately KSh1.7 billion using the reported exchange rate.

Despite the monthly drop, money sent home by Kenyans living abroad remains an important source of foreign currency for the country, helping households meet their expenses and supporting economic activity.

The CBK figures also show that cumulative remittances over the 12 months to September 2026 declined by 1 per cent to $5.032 billion, compared with $5.080 billion recorded during the corresponding period previously.

The latest figures point to mixed trends in diaspora inflows, with September’s monthly total lower than August’s while the shilling continued to trade below the KSh130 mark against the US dollar.

According to the CBK, the shilling exchanged at KSh129.81 per dollar on October 15, compared with KSh129.94 on October 8.

The currency’s stability comes as Kenya continues to monitor developments in international markets, including changes in energy prices and demand for foreign currency among businesses and importers.

The country’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $14.689 billion as of October 15, equivalent to approximately KSh1.91 trillion. The reserves provided about 5.9 months of import cover, according to the CBK’s latest weekly bulletin.

Foreign exchange reserves help the country meet external payment obligations and provide a buffer against potential pressure on the local currency.

Although remittances declined compared with August, the latest figures show that billions of dollars continue to flow into Kenya from citizens working and living abroad.