The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has released the Kenya National Gender and Corruption Survey 2025.
This landmark report provides the first-ever gender-disaggregated data on how corruption affects Kenyans, revealing that while men and women both suffer from graft, the nature of their experiences differs significantly.
The findings highlight a deepening crisis of integrity in public service, characterized by rising bribe amounts, systemic gatekeeping, and a disturbing prevalence of non-monetary corruption.
1. The rising cost of corruption
The survey reports a sharp increase in the financial burden of bribery on Kenyan citizens. The national average bribe has jumped from Ksh. 4,878 in 2024 to Ksh. 6,724 in 2025.
While police officers remain the most frequent recipients of bribes, the judiciary recorded some of the highest individual amounts. According to the report, magistrates received the largest average cash bribes, peaking at Ksh. 164,367.
2. Sextortion: The invisible form of corruption
Perhaps the most harrowing revelation of the 2025 survey is the prevalence of sextortion, the demand for sexual favors in exchange for public services.
- Gender Disparity: Women are four times more likely to be victims of sextortion than men.
- Repetitive Abuse: Approximately 73% of women who experienced sextortion reported being solicited for sexual favors more than three times within a single year.
- Economic Vulnerability: Nearly 50% of these cases occurred in the private sector, often targeting victims seeking employment opportunities.
3. Gatekeeping and service delivery
Corruption in Kenya has become a gatekeeping mechanism. The survey found that 84.3% of bribes are paid before a service is even rendered. Citizens primarily pay bribes to:
- Speed up procedures (32.1%)
- Access services that are otherwise withheld (27.8%)
- Avoid problems with authorities (12.2%)
The services most prone to these illicit demands include the application for birth certificates, national ID registration/renewal, and seeking medical attention.
4. A crisis of silence
Despite the prevalence of graft, there is a massive gap in reporting. Over 98% of Kenyans who paid a bribe did not report the experience to any official institution. The reasons for this silence are rooted in fear and apathy:
- 77.6% cited fear of harassment or reprisal as the main reason for not reporting.
- 61.7% of respondents admitted they have done nothing personally to support the fight against corruption, indicating a sense of resignation among the public.
5. Institutional trust and the way forward
Public confidence remains divided. While 54.9% of the public expressed confidence in the EACC, the media (72.6%) and religious organizations (70.9%) are viewed as the most effective allies in the fight against graft.
EACC Chairperson David Oginde has called for a shift from reactive to proactive reforms. “What this report reveals is not isolated incidents but systemic weaknesses,” Oginde stated. The Commission is now pushing for:
- Digital reporting channels to protect whistleblowers.
- Annual net worth audits for public and state officers.
- Blacklisting of directors and companies involved in unethical conduct.