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Kenyans paid average bribe of Sh11,625 in 2023 - EACC report

Directline is said to control more than 60 per cent of the public service vehicles (PSVs) insurance market. (Photo: File)

By Amina Wako | Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Shockingly, individuals seeking employment reported paying a staggering amount of Sh163,260 on average in bribes.

The battle against corruption in Kenya faces a significant setback, with recent findings from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) revealing a disturbing trend.

According to a new report titled the National Ethics and Corruption Survey, 2023, Kenyans paid an average bribe of Sh11,625 in 2023, nearly double the amount reported in the previous year.

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"The overall national average bribe was Sh11,625 in 2023, indicating an increase compared to Sh6,865 in 2022," states the report released on Wednesday, shedding light on the worsening state of corruption in the country.

In terms of sectors where bribery was most prevalent, the report said that service seekers faced exorbitant demands especially while navigating critical processes such as employment applications, passport acquisitions, obtaining police abstracts, securing tenders, and resolving land disputes.

Shockingly, individuals seeking employment reported paying a staggering amount of Sh163,260 on average in bribes.

"On average, service seekers paid the largest amount of bribe at the National Transport and Safety Authority (Sh81,801), the Judiciary (Sh49,611), and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Sh40,000)," stated the EACC, highlighting the rampant corruption embedded within crucial government institutions.

The survey, with a sample size of 5,100 individuals from 510 clusters across all 47 counties, employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) were conducted with household heads, supplemented by a literature review aimed at gaining critical insights into anti-corruption issues.

Data collection took place from October 13 to November 4, 2023, following questionnaire design and extensive training sessions held on October 11-12, 2023.

The results paint a grim picture of the prevalence of corruption across various sectors in Kenya, even as President William Ruto vows repeatedly that he will weed out graft from all sectors and ensure resources assigned to public welfare are adequately used.

Among the repeated hindrances to Kenya's anti-graft war are bottlenecks in prosecuting high profile cases and the lack of evidence.

The alarming increase in bribery not only undermines public trust in government institutions but also perpetuates inequality, hinders socio-economic development, and poses a significant challenge to Kenya's aspirations for transparency, accountability, and good governance.