Kenyan residents in Nyamira, Baringo, Siaya, Bungoma, and Turkana counties face a grim reality: bribery is often the price they pay to access a service.
According to a report released earlier this year by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the national average bribe amount surged to Sh 11,625 in 2023, nearly doubling from Sh 6,865 in 2022.
This trend underscores the reality of accessing public services in Kenya.
Public institutions like the Traffic Police, County Health Department, and Police are identified as the most susceptible to bribery in Kenya. Seeking services from the Traffic Police may prompt bribery requests 1.45 times per service request.
Notably, the largest bribe amounts were paid for services from the National Transport and Safety Authority (Sh 81,801), the Judiciary (Sh 49,611), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) (Sh 40,000), and County Government offices (Sh 26,223).
The report further highlights key public services where bribery is prevalent, such as registering a business, applying for a TSC number, receiving relief food or water, obtaining a tender, and vehicle registration or transfer.
Notably, seeking employment incurs the highest average bribe amount (Sh 163,260), followed by applying for a passport (Sh 74,428), obtaining a police abstract (Sh 20,300), securing a tender (Sh 17,000), and resolving land conflicts (Sh 12,673). These findings illustrate the severe extent of corruption in Kenya.
Furthermore, the likelihood of encountering bribery requests is notably high in Busia, Baringo, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Machakos. Bungoma County stands out for its significant impact of bribe payments, increasing the likelihood of service reception by 1.14 times.
The highest average bribe payments were reported in West Pokot County (Sh 56,695), followed by Nairobi (Sh 37,768), Murang’a (Sh 18,378), Kisii (Sh 16,810), Uasin Gishu (Sh 11,136), Kitui (Sh 9,849), Busia (Sh 7,468), and Tharaka-Nithi (Sh 7,041) counties.
Alarmingly, the report indicates that 63.8% of service seekers expressed dissatisfaction with public services received after paying a bribe, indicating a lack of accountability in these institutions.
Additionally, the report highlights that a majority of Kenyans reported having accessed a particular service within an institution or county only after paying a bribe.
Here are the 20 most corrupt counties in Kenya according to EACC.
- Nyamira County
- Baringo County
- Siaya County
- Bungoma County
- Turkana County
- West Pokot County
- Samburu County
- Nandi County
- Kakamega County
- Kisumu County
- Tharaka-Nithi County
- Nairobi County
- Machakos County
- Laikipia County
- Isiolo County
- Nyandarua County
- Nakuru County
- Homabay County
- Busia County
- Elgeyo-Marakwet County
— Compiled by Wanjiku Hilda
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