This archive report was first published on 11 July 2019.
On July 11, 2019, Transparency International released a report highlighting the growing concern of corruption in Kenya. The report, based on a survey of 1,599 Kenyans, found that two-thirds of respondents believed corruption had increased in the previous 12 months.
According to the report, 71% of those surveyed felt the government was not doing enough to address the issue. This sentiment was echoed by Transparency International's Kenya programmes manager, Sheila Masinde, who stated that 'a pervading culture of impunity among the political and economic elite' was a major obstacle to combating corruption.
The survey also found that 45% of respondents had experienced bribery in the previous 12 months, up from 37% in 2015. Kenyan police were identified as the leading recipients of bribes, with increasing numbers of citizens also reporting paying bribes to public schools, utilities, and clinics.
Perceptions of corruption in key institutions were also highlighted in the report. While 28% of respondents believed the courts were corrupt, down from 33% in 2015, almost half of those surveyed felt that at least some members of Parliament were corrupt.
Transparency International's Managing Director, Patricia Moreira, emphasized the need for action to combat corruption, stating that 'it is a major barrier to economic growth, good governance, and basic freedoms.'
