NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya’s police service, land offices, and civil registration departments have once again been spotlighted as the most bribery-prone sectors in the country, according to the latest Kenya Bribery Index 2025 released by Transparency International Kenya.
The report, based on a nationwide survey of 1,033 respondents across 15 counties, paints a troubling picture of corruption in essential public services.
The police ranked worst, with an overall score of 84, nearly doubling that of the next-highest sector, land services, which scored 45. Motor vehicle licensing followed closely with a score of 43.7.
According to the findings, a staggering 72.2% of Kenyans who interacted with the police reported encountering bribery — the highest likelihood recorded in any sector.
On average, police officers received nearly 40% of all bribes reported in the study, making law enforcement not just the most likely, but also the most persistent offender in bribery practices.
Land services and civil registration were not far behind, each with scores just above 60%, highlighting systemic corruption in services critical to property ownership, identity documentation, and legal registration.
“These numbers reveal a grim reality: for every 10 Kenyans who sought help from the police, seven were either asked or expected to pay a bribe,” the report noted.
The survey further found that one in every four Kenyans has faced a bribery situation when seeking public services.
While 23% said they were asked or expected to pay a bribe, 2% admitted to offering a bribe unprompted.
Gender and Bribery: A Disproportionate Burden on Men?
Men accounted for 64% of all reported bribes, compared to 36% among women.
The report attributed this to greater male interaction with public systems, possibly due to gendered economic roles and societal expectations.
The Judiciary: Fewer Cases, Higher Price Tag
While the judiciary saw improvements in the likelihood of bribery interactions, it posted the highest average bribe amount — Sh18,800, a sharp 33% increase from 2017.
This suggests fewer, but costlier, incidents of bribery in Kenya’s court system.
Land services followed with an average bribe of Sh12,610, which TI Kenya attributed to the continued reliance on human interactions outside Nairobi and Murang’a, the only counties where the digital Ardhi Sasa platform has been fully implemented.
Huduma Centres Shine as Low-Bribery Zones
In stark contrast, Huduma Centres were ranked as the least bribery-prone institutions, with only 9% of users reporting bribery encounters — a sign that integrated service delivery and digitisation may be working.
Despite a modest rise in bribery reporting — up from 6% in 2017 to 17% in 2025 — the majority of Kenyans still shy away from reporting incidents. 47% of non-reporting respondents cited a lack of faith in authorities to take action.
TI Kenya’s Call to Action
Transparency International Kenya warned that bribery remains one of the most harmful forms of corruption in the delivery of public services, disproportionately affecting the poor and marginalised.
“Bribery demands introduce financial barriers that lock out many Kenyans from essential services,” the report said, urging comprehensive reforms.
Among its key recommendations:
- Strengthening police oversight and accountability
- Fast-tracking digitisation in land and civil services
- Expanding whistleblower protections
- Empowering citizens through civic education
The report also called on the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, and independent oversight bodies to take concrete steps to address institutional corruption.
