Agency reveals most corrupt ministries in Kenya

Kenya's Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Half of those polled said they paid a bribe because it was the only way to get government services
• Three in 10 Kenyans said that given the opportunity, they would happily engage in corruption
• The media was named as a trusted source in exposing corruption and unethical behaviour

By DAILY NATION
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Kenya's Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has ranked the Interior ministry as most prone to corruption, followed by the ministries of Health and Lands.

At 64.7 per cent, the Dr Fred Matiang'i-led ministry has jumped from 45.7 per cent in 2016, with Kenya Police ranked at 23.8 per cent, followed by the National Police Service Commission at 13.7 per cent.

In the survey done between September 18 and October 24 and which sampled 5,977 households in Kenya's 47 counties, 76 per cent of Kenyans revealed that they did not receive government services after failing to pay a bribe.

Of those who were denied services, a disappointing 93 per cent said they did not report acts of corruption they witnessed.

Half of those polled said they paid a bribe because it was the only way to get government services, with 17 per cent saying it was the only way to hasten services.

Government services

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With Kenyans paying an average of $50 (Sh5,058) in bribes in 2017, those living in Mandera had to part with almost seven times the national average.

They told researchers that they had to pay an average $500 (Sh35,440) in bribes to access government services.

Kisumu follows closely at Sh 26,762; Busia (Sh18,886); Nyamira (Sh10,967); Murang'a (Sh9,297); Nairobi (Sh8,916); Marsabit (Sh7,859); Turkana (Sh6,791); Uasin Gishu (Sh6,744); and Wajir closing the top 10 at an average of Sh6,235.

In the devolved units, the department of finance and planning was rated as the most prone to corruption at 18 per cent.

Other departments the survey said were prone to corruption in the counties are health facilities, roads, lands survey, and housing, the public service boards, as well as licensing departments.

The share of those who paid bribes to obtain services from public offices shot up to 62.2 per cent in 2017, from 46 per cent in 2016.

Unethical behaviour

Three in 10 Kenyans said that given the opportunity, they would happily engage in corruption. Two in 10 said that they had done so in the past.

In the survey, the Judiciary received the highest confidence mark at 60 per cent and was followed by the Executive and the anti-graft agency at 57, and 54 per cent respectively.

Parliament received a 54 per cent approval rating in the 2017 survey while police had the least rating at 23 per cent.

The media was named as a trusted source in exposing corruption and unethical behaviour, with eight out of 10 Kenyans saying they had done enough.

Those polled named the Daily Nation as their newspaper of choice for stories on corruption. It got a rating of 47 per cent and was followed by The Standard at 18.7 percent while Nation Media Group-owned Taifa Leo came third at 5.5 per cent.

Citizen TV was named as the most watched television station by 40 per cent of the respondents, and was followed by KTN and NTV at 20.9, and 8.8 per cents respectively.