Kenya has retained its position among Africa's 10 best-governed countries, ranking tenth out of 54 in a new continental assessment that nevertheless exposed growing weaknesses in security, the rule of law, media freedom, accountability and public procurement.
The 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG), released by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, awarded Kenya 61 points out of 100, placing it above the continental average of 50.1 and the Eastern Africa regional average of 47.5.
However, the country's performance reveals a troubling contradiction: while Kenya has recorded progress in economic opportunities, human development and inclusion over the past decade, its security and rule of law indicators have deteriorated.
The index, which examines governance performance between 2016 and 2025, ranked Kenya ahead of most of its immediate neighbours, including Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rwanda was the only country among the immediate regional counterparts assessed that ranked above Kenya, emerging 14th with an improving governance trajectory.
Kenya's overall score improved marginally by 0.9 points over the decade, with the Foundations for Economic Opportunity category recording the biggest improvement, rising by 4.1 points to 65.3.
Participation, Rights and Inclusion improved by 1.9 points to 62.4, while Human Development gained 1.7 points to reach 62.3.
However, the Security and Rule of Law index moved in the opposite direction, declining by 4.2 points to 54, making it the only one of the four major governance categories to register deterioration.
Among Kenya's weakest indicators were public procurement procedures, which scored 29.7 points, a decline of 36.4 points over the decade.
Public perception of the ease of obtaining identity documents scored 22.5, down 13 points, while freedom of association and assembly stood at 25 points, having declined by 12.5 points.
Public perception of corruption also remained a major concern. The indicator on public perception of anti-corruption efforts scored 27.9, declining by 10.8 points, while absence of corruption in the public sector scored 35.6, down 4.8 points.
Flags of African nations on display at Kenyatta International Convention Centre ahead of the Africa Forward Summit 2026 on May 12, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
The perception of the rule of law deteriorated by 20.1 points to 37.3, while food security fell by 21.5 points to 37.6. Media freedom also recorded a decline, losing 12.8 points to settle at 56.6.
Nevertheless, Kenya recorded significant improvements in several areas, including protection against discrimination, which gained 33.3 points, internet access, which improved by 21.9 points, and access to energy, which rose by 20.8 points.
Education completion improved by 13.5 points to 89.9, while mobile communications gained 16.4 points to reach 85.5.
Kenya's 10th-place position puts it ahead of most countries in the region, although the index reveals significant differences in governance trajectories among its neighbours.
Rwanda ranked fourteenth, with an increasing improvement trend, placing it among the continent's better-performing countries. Tanzania was eighteenth but received a warning-signs classification, suggesting that its governance trajectory requires attention despite its relatively strong overall position.
Uganda ranked 28th and was classified as bouncing back, while sharing the rank with Zimbabwe at position 30, Ethiopia carried a “warning-signs” classification.
The Democratic Republic of Congo occupied position 48, with a bouncing-back trajectory, while Somalia ranked 53rd, second from the bottom, despite recording slowing improvement.
Eritrea was in position 51 out of 54 countries, placing it among the four lowest-ranked countries on the continent. It was also classified as having warning signs, highlighting the governance challenges facing the country.
Only Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan ranked below Eritrea.
At the continental level, the 2026 IIAG warns that improvements in economic and human development are being threatened by deteriorating security and democratic participation.
The index, which assesses all 54 African countries using 96 indicators across four governance categories, found that overall governance had improved slightly over the decade despite multiple global shocks.
These included the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war and declining development assistance. Infrastructure emerged as the most improved of the index's 16 sub-categories, with improvements recorded in 52 countries, covering 84 per cent of Africa's population.
Education improved in 34 countries, while health recorded progress in 40 countries, demonstrating the continent's gains in access to essential services and social development.
However, security and rule of law deteriorated in 34 countries, representing 78 per cent of the continent's population. Participation, Rights and Inclusion also declined in 31 countries, covering 60 per cent of the population.
The foundation noted that although deterioration in security had slowed since 2022, the continued decline in governance institutions remained a major obstacle to sustainable development.
Seychelles topped the continental ranking, followed by Mauritius, Cabo Verde, Botswana and South Africa. South Africa, despite retaining fifth position, recorded an increasingly deteriorating governance trajectory.
At the bottom of the ranking were South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and the Central African Republic, with Sudan, the Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau experiencing increasingly deteriorating trends.
Mo Ibrahim, chairman and founder of the foundation, warned against governments prioritising economic and social development at the expense of security, the rule of law and public participation.
“Economic and social gains will not last, and will remain weaker, without improvements in these fundamental governance pillars,” he said.
