Negative Perception on Corruption Among Kenyans at 74 percent

Negative perceptions concerning corruption among most Kenyans now stands at 74 percent according to a poll conducted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission August last year. This is an increase of 6.7 percent from 67.7 percent in the year 2012.

According to the poll, 50.4 percent of Kenyans believe that has increased tremendously compared to the previous years. Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government emerged as the most corrupt ministry in the country. This came as a shock to many who had expected the Ministry of Devolution to top the list which has been on the public limelight for massive corruption in the ministry with its Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru having resigned due to public pressure.

The Interior ministry leads the pack of the most corrupt with a 40.3 percent. According to the survey, the department of police is the most corrupt department with Kenya Police Service being at 32.9 percent with the traffic police coming in with 18.8 percent and the chief’s offices were ranked with 6.2 percent. On average, Kenyans pay a bribe of 4,430 shillings to report a crime to the police and an average of 3,725 shillings to bail out an arrested individual.

The Health Ministry was the second most corrupt ministry with 14.3 percent with most Kenyans giving out bribes to access basic health services in public hospitals. Public hospitals in Kenya are the most prone to corruption with a 4.1 percent index. At the county level, the health sector was ranked as the most corrupt with a 29 percent score with Kenyans paying an average of 1,866 shillings to access services in hospitals.

The Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development was the third most corrupt ministry with 11 percent. According to the poll, the registrar of land was ranked among the top ten places in 46 counties except Mandera where bribe was paid at 1.1 percent.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure came in fourth and fifth respectively with 9.9 and 6.1 percent respectively.

Murang’a County took the lead as the most corrupt county on a bribery scale of 3.78 followed by Embu with a scale of 2.53 while Bomet was third with 2.46. Other most corrupt counties were Kisii and Wajir with 2.41 and 2.33 bribery scale respectively.

Article by Juma Fred.