NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 5 – The national average bribe dropped to Sh4,878 in 2024, down from Sh11,625 in 2023, even as certain government agencies continued to demand shockingly high amounts, a new EACC report has revealed.
In the 2024 National Ethics and Corruption Survey (NECS) published on Tuesday, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) identified Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) as the agency demanding the highest average bribes at Sh200,000.
The survey, conducted between November and December 2024, listed the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in second place at Sh47,129 average followed by the National Treasury’s Pensions Department at Sh40,000.
Average bribes:
- Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) – Sh200,000
- National Social Security Fund (NSSF) – Sh47,129
- National Treasury (Pensions Department) – Sh40,000
- County Executive (Employment-related services) – Sh243,651
- National Government Tenders – Sh100,000
- Teachers Service Commission (Placement) – Sh72,665
- Uasin Gishu County Offices – Sh25,873
- Baringo County Offices – Sh16,156
- Embu County Offices – Sh12,878
- Homabay County Offices – Sh12,381
“These figures point to deeply entrenched corruption in institutions where access to critical or lucrative services is controlled by a few officials,” the EACC report warns.
EACC Chairperson David Oginde said the data highlights the need for targeted anti-graft interventions.
“High-value bribes are symptomatic of systemic corruption that requires more than arrests — it calls for institutional reforms and strong internal accountability mechanisms,” he said during the report’s release.
Police and administration officers
The survey also reveals that police officers remain the most bribery-prone public servants, accounting for 28 per cent of all reported cases, followed by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers (17 per cent) and chiefs (16 per cent).
“These numbers confirm the daily struggles of ordinary Kenyans who continue to face extortion when seeking basic services,” Oginde noted.
In terms of public perception, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration emerged as the most corruption-prone ministry at 48 per cent, followed by the Ministry of Health (20 per cent), National Treasury (6 per cent), and Ministry of Lands (5 per cent).
EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud said the findings underline the urgent need for systemic changes in high-contact ministries.
Why Kenyans pay bribes
EACC noted 43.3 per cent of respondents reported bribe payments in response to an explicit demand, while 23.3 per cent said it was the only way to access services.
Bribes were most frequently reported in employment processes, tendering, and service delivery at local and national government levels, with the highest single bribes linked to county executive jobs (Sh243,651) and national government tenders (Sh100,000).
The EACC says it will intensify investigations, prosecutions, and public education campaigns to reduce bribery levels.
The NECS 2024 surveyed 5,960 households across all 47 counties analyzed across 600 clusters.
