Kenya Central Bank Rate (CBR) Today and Full History

By Nash ·6 min read ·Updated 10 Feb 2026

Important

Executive Summary:

• The current Central Bank Rate (CBR) is 8.75%, set on 10 February 2026 by the Central Bank of Kenya’s Monetary Policy Committee.
• Over 119 decisions since 6 August 2008, the CBR has ranged from a low of 5.75% (27 January 2011) to a high of 18.00% (1 December 2011).
• The CBR is the base rate that moves bank loan rates, Treasury bill yields and money market fund returns. When it rises, borrowing and saving both get more expensive; when it falls, both ease.

The Central Bank Rate is the single most important number in Kenyan finance that most people cannot name. It is the rate the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) charges commercial banks, and through them it sets the floor under almost every other rate you meet: your loan, your Treasury bill, your money market fund yield, and the interest on your savings. At its most recent decision (10 February 2026) the Monetary Policy Committee cut by 0.25 points, to 8.75%. This page tracks every Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision so you can see not just today’s rate but the whole cycle.

What is the Kenya Central Bank Rate today?

The Kenya Central Bank Rate (CBR) is 8.75%, effective 10 February 2026. It is reviewed by the MPC, which meets roughly every two months. A change signals where the CBK thinks inflation and the economy are heading: a hike to cool inflation, a cut to support growth.

Why the CBR matters to your money

• Borrowers. Bank lending rates are benchmarked off the CBR. When the CBR rises, loans, mortgages and overdrafts get more expensive; when it falls, they ease (usually with a lag).
• Savers and MMF investors. Money market funds hold Treasury bills and bank deposits, whose rates track the CBR. So when the CBR is high, MMF yields are high too, and when the CBR falls, MMF returns drift down. You can see exactly that link in how MMF yields have moved.
• The shilling and inflation. A higher CBR can support the shilling and cool inflation by making borrowing dearer; a lower CBR does the opposite.

The recent rate cycle

Across 119 decisions since 6 August 2008, the rate climbed to a high of 18.00% (1 December 2011) and fell to a low of 5.75% (27 January 2011). The most recent decisions:

The direction matters more than any single meeting. A sustained run of cuts means cheaper loans but lower returns on cash; a run of hikes means the opposite. If you hold money in an MMF, watch the CBR: it is the leading indicator for where your yield is heading next.

What to do with this

• If you have a loan: falling CBR is your cue to ask your bank to reprice, or to refinance. Rising CBR is a reason to clear expensive debt faster.
• If you hold cash: a high CBR is the moment to lock more into an MMF or Treasury bill; as the CBR falls, today’s MMF rate will not last, so capture the wide gap between a bank account and an MMF while it is still there. See how to read an MMF rate.
• Either way: do not chase the headline. Use the trend, and keep your emergency fund liquid regardless of the rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current Central Bank Rate in Kenya? The CBR is 8.75%, set on 10 February 2026 by the Central Bank of Kenya’s Monetary Policy Committee. The MPC reviews it roughly every two months.

What is the highest the CBR has been? In this record of 119 decisions since 6 August 2008, the CBR peaked at 18.00% (1 December 2011) and bottomed at 5.75% (27 January 2011).

How does the Central Bank Rate affect money market funds? MMFs hold Treasury bills and bank deposits, whose yields track the CBR. A higher CBR means higher MMF returns; a falling CBR pulls MMF yields down with it. See the current MMF rates and how they have moved over time.

How often does the CBR change? Only when the MPC decides to change it at a meeting (roughly every two months). It can hold steady for several meetings, then move in a run of hikes or cuts.

Does a lower CBR mean my loan gets cheaper? Usually, but with a lag and not automatically. Bank rates are benchmarked off the CBR, so a cut creates room to reprice, but you often have to ask your bank to pass it on.

Keep reading: see Kenya’s inflation rate (what the CBR exists to control), the best MMF rates this week, how MMF yields have moved over time, learn how to read an MMF rate, or start with the beginner’s guide.

Source: Central Bank of Kenya, Monetary Policy Committee decisions (https://www.centralbank.go.ke/rates/central-bank-rate/). 119 decisions from 6 August 2008 to 10 February 2026; figures are the official Central Bank Rate. This page is regenerated from that data.

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