EACC names Interior as most corrupt ministry

Interior and Coordination of National Government was the most bribe-prone ministry in 2023, according to a survey by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

It was followed by the ministries of Health and Transport, with ICT being the least corrupt ministry, followed by Tourism.

Overall, the traffic police retained the dubious position of the most corrupt public institution, followed by the county health departments and the regular police department.

The data released by the anti-corruption watchdog also ranked Busia, Baringo, Nairobi, Nakuru and Machakos as the five most bribe-prone counties.

“Each time a service is sought in Busia County one is likely to be asked for a bribe 2.02 times. Each time a service is sought in Baringo, Nairobi, Nakuru and Machakos counties one is likely to be asked for a bribe 1.34 times, 1.12 times, 1.11 times and 1.09 times, respectively,” EACC said in the report.

The survey shows that the national average bribe increased from Sh6,865 in 2022 to Sh11,625 in 2023.

Kenyans paid the highest bribes when seeking employment at Sh163,260 and when applying for a passport at Sh74,428.

Those seeking a police abstract paid Sh20,300 on average, while those obtaining a tender parted with Sh17,000.

National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was the most expensive institution to pay a bribe to at Sh81,801 followed by the judiciary at Sh49,611, while the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) asked for an average of Sh40,000.

The survey was conducted between October and December 2023 with a total of 5,100 respondents aged 18 years and above.