Residents of Uasin Gishu County paid the highest average bribes in the country at Ksh 25,873, according to a new corruption survey released by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The 2024 EACC Survey has revealed significant disparities in bribery levels across the 47 counties, with Uasin Gishu leading, followed by Baringo County, where residents paid an average of Ksh 16,156 in bribes.
According to the report, other counties recording high average bribe payments include Embu, with Ksh 12,878, Homabay, with Ksh 12,381, and Bomet, following closely with Ksh 11,650. This indicates that corruption remains a persistent challenge across different regions of the country.
"On average, counties where respondents paid the largest amount of bribes were Uasin-Gishu (Ksh 25,873), followed by Baringo (Ksh 16,156), Embu (Ksh 12,878), Homabay (Ksh 12,381), Bomet (Ksh 11,650), Kakamega (Ksh 10,013), Tana-River (Ksh 9,582), Kiambu (Ksh 7,982), Nyamira (Ksh 7,748), and Wajir (Ksh 7,275) counties," the report noted.
The survey data starkly contrast the highest and lowest bribe-paying counties. At the bottom of the list, Isiolo County recorded the lowest average bribe payments at just Ksh 323, Marsabit at Ksh 700, and Turkana at Ksh 895.
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Other counties with relatively low average bribe payments include Busia at Ksh 1,091, Trans Nzoia at Ksh 1,092, Elgeyo-Marakwet at Ksh 1,241, Kericho recorded Ksh 1,320, and Taita Taveta at Ksh 1,474.
Mid-range counties include Narok, Ksh 4,010, Tharaka Nithi with Ksh 3,722, Nyeri recorded Ksh 3,678, and Siaya Ksh 3,454, while the capital, Nairobi County, recorded relatively lower average bribe payments at Ksh 4,718.
The comprehensive analysis covering all 47 counties highlights the need for targeted anti-corruption interventions. Some counties show bribe amounts nearly 80 times higher than others, underscoring the varying degrees of corruption challenges across the nation.
