Report: Bribery more common in urban areas, than rural settings

Residents in urban areas are more likely to engage in bribery than those in rural areas, according to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) National Gender and Corruption Survey, 2025.

The report shows that 41.1 percent of urban residents paid bribes to speed up services, compared with 25.6 percent of rural residents.

However, rural residents (33.2 percent) were more likely than urban residents (20.5 percent) to say they paid bribes because it was the only way to access services.

To avoid problems with authorities, 12.5 percent of urban residents reported paying bribes, compared with 12 percent in rural areas.

To avoid fines, rural residents slightly led at 5.9 percent, compared with 5.4 percent in urban areas.

The report also found that 2.5 percent of urban residents and 2.3 percent of rural residents paid bribes to avoid disconnection of services such as electricity. Both groups recorded 1.5 percent for avoiding full payment of service fees.

A further 1.3 percent of urban residents said they paid bribes to access services they were not entitled to, compared with 1.1 percent in rural areas.

Rural residents are more likely to give bribes for no specific reason at 1.8 percent, compared with 1.3 percent in urban areas. They also led in giving bribes as a form of appreciation at 2 percent, compared with 1 percent in urban areas.

The survey further shows that respondents aged 65 and above were the most likely (36.4 percent) to say they paid bribes because it was the only way to access services.

Those aged 18 to 64 mainly reported paying bribes to speed up procedures.

The survey, released in Nairobi on Thursday, April 9 was conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).