Nairobi, Kenya— The average size of bribes paid by Kenyans in 2024 rose sharply to Sh 4,878, signaling a deepening culture of corruption in public service delivery, according to the latest National Ethics and Corruption Survey by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The report, based on feedback from 5,960 respondents across all 47 counties, reveals that Kenyans are not only paying more in bribes but are also more frequently asked to part with cash to access basic government services.
Bribes paid while seeking employment from county executives averaged a staggering Sh243,651 the highest reported.
This was followed by payments for government tenders (Sh100,000) and teacher placement via the Teachers Service Commission (Sh72,665).
In terms of institutions, the Kenya Wildlife Service topped the list with an average bribe of Sh200,000.
“The national average bribe stood at KES 4,878 in 2024,” the report notes, a significant rise that underscores the financial burden corruption imposes on ordinary citizens.
“Most of the respondents (43.3%) paid a bribe because it was demanded, followed by 23.3 percent who indicated it was the only way to access a service.”
Uasin-Gishu County emerged as the region with the highest average bribe (Sh 25,873), followed by Baringo (KES 16,156) and Embu (Sh 12,878).
Overall, the study reveals that job seekers, contractors, and citizens seeking everyday services continue to bear the brunt of entrenched corruption.
Despite the alarming figures, only 2.8% of those who encountered bribery incidents reported them to authorities.
The remaining 97.2% cited fear of victimization or apathy.
The EACC recommends urgent interventions, including whistleblower protection legislation, increased citizen oversight of public services, and targeted anti-corruption reforms in bribery-prone counties and institutions.
