In 1966, the Central Bank of Kenya was established, giving the country its own monetary authority for the first time. Kenya left the East African Currency Board that had served the region during colonial times and began issuing its own currency, the Kenya shilling. Having a central bank meant Kenya could set its own interest rates, control inflation and manage its own money supply. It was a fundamental act of economic sovereignty, the financial equivalent of raising the flag. The decisions made in that building on Haile Selassie Avenue would shape every Kenyan's life.