- Kenya marks the International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD).
- Kenya is ranked 126 out of 180 according to the Corruption Perception Index (2023).
- Kenya is losing approximately Ksh 2 to 3 billion to graft and mismanagement of public resources daily.
The world is marking International Anti-Corruption Day, and the status of integrity in Kenya is so wanting, painting a grim picture the current generation holds for the future inhabitants. In 2023, the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), released by International Transparency, shows a significant corruption perception in the public sector.
Kenya scored 31 out of 100, representing a decline in 32 points in 2022. Consequently, Kenya’s global ranking fell to 126 out of 180 countries, a decline of three points from the previously held position of 123/180 in 2022. This indicates a fracturing effort in the fight against corruption in the public sector, which is a collective responsibility hanging at the helm of every citizen in Kenya.
Now the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), a body charged with the mandate of ensuring that integrity is held at its utmost levels in Kenya, has embarked on a mission targeting the youthful generation in a gentle coordination in the fight against the burdening integrity deficit.
With this year’s IACD theme being Uniting the Youth Against Corruption, the EACC has stepped forward to engage the youth, bringing their ideas on policymaking and strategies aimed at eradicating corruption. The event was held at Strathmore University, Nairobi, and brought together participants from diverse sectors, including the youths represented by leaders from different associations.
EACC’s Survey on Encountering Corruption Among the Youth in Kenya
A survey conducted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission on the X platform (formerlyX) between December 8th and 9th, 2024, has revealed concerning insights toward corruption among the young Kenyans.
Survey Questionaire: As a young person, what do you do when you encounter corruption?
- ) Report it
- ) Stay silent
- ) Engage in it
Survey Summary and Results
- Total Votes: 30,035
- Responses:
- Report it: 18.7%
- Stay Silent: 22.3%
- Engage in it: 59%
The results show that 59% of the total respondents are willing to participate in corrupt practices, while a small fraction of 18.7% would consider reporting. About 22.3% prefer to remain passive about the corrupt act.
Extrapolating the Insights
While the outcome of this survey entirely represents the opinion of the young people on X platform only, not the entire population, let’s now do a cautious extrapolation to the entire population of about 56 million Kenyans as of 2024. This calculation may not represent the outcome of the entire population, considering the limited reliability of social media for such surveys.
What if these opinions held a broader view of the entire population?
- Engaging in Corruption:
- 56,000,000*59% = 33,040,000 Kenyans (potentially willing to engage in corruption)
- Staying Silent:
- 56,000,000*22.3% = 12,488,000 Kenyans (likely to remain silent)
- Reporting Corruption:
- 56,000,000*18.7% = 10, 472, 000 Kenyans (actively willing to report corruption)
The outcome of this short survey shows that a high percentage of Kenyans are knowingly willing to engage in corrupt practices, which indicates normalization and systemic entrenchment of corrupt behavior, especially among the youth.
The 22.3% who prefer silence might represent the entrenched fear of retaliation, distrust in the anti-corruption system (EACC), or apathy. The 18.7% actively willing to report suggest that efforts to instill ethical standards and reporting mechanisms need reinforcement.
International Anti-Corruption Day & Status of Corruption in Kenya
This calls for the strengthening of the anti-corruption system, securing avenues for reporting graft suspicion, probably by ensuring anonymity and protecting whistleblowers. Additionally, systemic issues enabling loopholes for corruption both in the public and private sectors should be addressed effectively.
While the International Anti-Corruption Day’s theme this year is focusing on bringing the youth together in a bid to address the rising corruption cases, it is worth noting the government’s and the anti-corruption system’s advancement in the fight against graft, even by introducing integrity clubs in all levels of education. However, more direct youth engagement programs emphasizing their role in building a transparent future ought to be normalized.
Kenya is reportedly losing approximately Ksh. 2 to 3 billion per day to corrupt practices from various sectors, both the public and private. In 2021 and during his tenure, the former president, Uhuru Kenyatta, lamented that Kenya was losing Ksh 2 billion daily to graft.
In November 2024, the Kenya Manufacturers Association (KAM) revealed that Kenya is losing approximately Ksh 3 billion daily to corrupt practices and mismanagement of public resources. This highlights the deep systemic entrenchment of corruption, severing the productivity of the country on a daily basis.
While giving a keynote speech during the commemoration of International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) at Strathmore University, Nairobi, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Dr. David Oginde, said that school outreach programs for all learning levels have been devised to help the young people develop a culture of integrity.
He espoused that integrity clubs have been established, aimed at promoting ethical standards, attitudes of honesty, and moral conduct among the youthful generation. Despite the trials and errors against graft, corruption practices remain a menace in Kenya, curtailing effective service delivery to the people.
