The Kenya National Gender and Corruption Survey 2025 shows court magistrates received the highest average bribe amount of Ksh164,367. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) announced the findings. The report highlights significant variations across counties and public sectors.
The Kenya National Gender and Corruption Survey 2025, conducted by the EACC with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, National Gender and Equality Commission, and Transparency International Kenya, found civil registration officers received the lowest average bribe of Ksh1,415.
“Sampled service seekers reported that the largest average cash bribe they paid was to magistrates at the court at Ksh164,367 while the lowest amount of average cash bribe they paid (Ksh1,415) was to civil registration officials,” the survey reported.
Kakamega County topped the list with an average of Ksh79,305, followed by West Pokot at Ksh16,400, Isiolo at Ksh13,912, Vihiga at Ksh12,389, and Garissa at Ksh12,297. Nairobi ranked 25th with Ksh4,223. The national average rose from Ksh4,878 in 2024 to Ksh6,724 in 2025.
Birth certificate applications saw the most frequent bribery at 23.0 per cent, followed by release from detention at 19.2 per cent, medical services at 12.8 per cent, and national IDs at 12.3 per cent. Citizens paid bribes mainly to speed up services (32.1 per cent), as it was the only way (27.8 per cent), or to avoid problems (12.2 per cent).
