Despite a notable drop in the average bribe paid by Kenyans, corruption in public service remains deeply entrenched — with the Interior Ministry, law enforcement officers, and specific counties continuing to dominate the nation’s graft landscape.
The latest report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) reveals that in 2024, the average bribe paid by a Kenyan decreased to KSh4,878, nearly halving from KSh11,625 in 2023. While this might suggest progress on the surface, the figures unveil a troubling persistence of corrupt practices across institutions.
The highest bribe recorded in 2024 was a staggering KSh243,651, reportedly paid to secure a county government job, raising fresh concerns about integrity in public service recruitment.
The report shows that bribery remains the most prevalent form of corruption, with 52.1% of respondents admitting to giving bribes, followed by 41.9% who witnessed bribes being received. Other forms of corruption include favoritism (22.5%), abuse of office (14.6%), tribalism and nepotism (11.8%), and embezzlement of public funds (11.7%).
The Ministry of Interior was ranked the most corrupt government agency, accounting for 48% of all reported incidents — nearly half of the national tally. The Health Ministry followed at 19.7%, while the National Treasury and Lands Ministry stood at 5.8% and 4.7% respectively.
Among public servants, police officers continued to be perceived as the most unethical and corrupt, leading at 27.6%, followed by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers at 17.3%, and Chiefs at 16.2%.
When it comes to geographical distribution, Uasin-Gishu County accounted for the largest share of bribes nationally at 11.12%, followed by Baringo (6.94%), Embu (5.54%), Homa Bay (5.32%), and Bomet (5.01%).
Alarmingly, the report found that citizens in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Marsabit, and Wajir counties faced a 100% probability of being asked for a bribe — meaning every respondent in those regions reported a bribe demand. In contrast, Makueni (35%) and Nyandarua (41%) counties were the least affected.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) emerged as the single agency with the highest share of national bribe receipts, claiming 35.73% of the total. The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) followed with 8.42%, and the National Treasury’s Pensions Department accounted for 7.15%.
The EACC report ranked corruption as the second most pressing problem in Kenya, after unemployment. Other major public concerns included poverty, high cost of living, inadequate healthcare, poor infrastructure, and weak political leadership.
Despite government assurances of a crackdown on graft, the EACC’s latest findings underscore the challenges ahead in dismantling Kenya’s deeply embedded corruption networks.
