Uasin Gishu, Baringo top in county bribery

EACC chairman Mumo Matemu (left) and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero during the launch of National Survey on Corruption and Ethics 2012 Report in Nairobi.  [Photo: Moses Omusula/Standard)

By Geoffrey Mosoku

Kenya: Uasin Gishu County tops the list of regional governments where one is likely to be asked to pay a bribe while seeking services, a report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has revealed.

The county is followed by Samburu, Embu, Meru, Nyamira, Nairobi, Narok, Tharaka-Nithi and Mombasa. Migori closes the list of the ten most corrupt counties, according to the latest EACC National Survey, 2012.

The bottom ten counties in the bribery index are Baringo, Turkana, Marsabit, Busia, Taita Taveta, Siaya, Isiolo, Vihiga, Kwale and West Pokot.

Ironically, although Baringo is said to be the county where you are least likely to pay a bribe, it is rated number one in terms of paying the highest amounts of bribes.

In Baringo, the average one can pay as bribe is Sh20,075 followed by Kirinyaga Sh15,914 and Nakuru Sh8,466. The report shows the lowest average bribe is Sh300 in West Pokot followed by Sh500 in Marsabit and Sh571 in Samburu.

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The report also showed that at the national level, the country’s security sector still tops in the list of the most corrupt public institutions.

The 2012, National Survey on corruption and ethics, places the Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government as the most corrupt, while a baseline survey by the commission for the same period places the Ministry of Defence as the most prone to bribery.

In the report, Ministry of Interior is crowned as leading in corruption at 59.60 per cent, followed by Ministry of Lands at 28.30 per cent, Ministry of Public Health 21.30 per cent, Ministry of Local Government 19.20 per cent while the Ministry of Immigration is number five at 18.30 per cent.

The Ministry of Education is ranked sixth at 12.80 per cent.

Kenya Police tops the list of the most corrupt state departments at 48.1 per cent followed by their brothers, Traffic Police at 18.7 per cent while Government hospitals are rated third at 15.7 per cent.

Local Government, Registration of Persons, Provincial Administration and Lands Registry departments follow stand at 15.4 per cent, 13.2 per cent, 10.3 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively.

In the baseline report, the Ministry of Defence topped the list, with 50 per cent of those interviewed saying they were likely to be asked for a bribe when seeking services there.

Out of this, 25 per cent of Kenyans said they had actually paid a bribe to get services from the military. 

Prevalence

Ministry of Transport is the second at 47.7 per cent followed by Provincial Administration at 29.2 per cent. Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company is rated at number four at 27.7 per cent, Ministry of Internal Security at 26.3 per cent while Kenya Police closes top six chart at 25.3 per cent.

“When calculated by using data generated by the survey, the indicator reveals that bribery prevalence is highest in the Ministry of Defence. Twenty-five out of 100 people who sought services in the Ministry of Defence paid a bribe,” the baseline report adds.

While officiating the launch of the report, Attorney General Githu Muigai lauded the survey saying it was in line with provisions of article 61 of the UN Convention against Corruption as it helps bring out graft-prone areas, most affected public institutions and ranking of counties on account of bribery and the measures needed to prevent and combat graft.

“We shall ensure anti-corruption laws are strengthened and that the EACC has adequate capacity, including powers to prosecute if necessary, to spearhead the fight against corruption and promotion of ethics, not only in public sector, but also in the private sector,” Prof Muigai added.

EACC chairman Matemu Mumo said the report will enable the commission and other players in the anti-graft war to formulate and implement appropriate strategies that would ensure effectiveness and efficiency in combating and prevention of corruption and unethical conduct.

Mumo further announced that, the commission was devolving its work through partnerships and collaborations with county governments to ensure there are mechanisms at the local level to fight the vice.

“The commission will continue to conduct this survey annually to map the trends on corruption and evaluate the efficacy of the anti-corruption programmes,” he added.

Business sector

Matemu regretted that majority of those polled had witnessed or participated in bribery but were not willing to report the same to the authorities. EACC interviewed 6,744 people, who were divided into three groups. The groups comprised 4,190 households (private citizens), 1,206 business enterprises and 1,348 public officers drawn from across the country. The survey was carried in all the 43 counties from the September 24, 2012 to November 4, 2012.

Mandera, Wajir, Tana River and Lamu counties were left out due to insecurity. 

The survey shows that the average bribe in Kenya stands at Sh4,601 with the business community topping the list of those who paid bribes.

The average bribe paid by the business sector stood at Sh8,693 as opposed to the general public who paid Sh2,606.

Interestingly, even public officers were not spared as they were often forced to part with money to get services such as promotion. Their average rate stood at Sh5,093.

53.4 per cent of the respondents said they had sought services in the public sector, with 17 per cent of these saying they had been asked to pay bribes.  68.4 per cent of those who were asked for a bribe said they had paid it to secure services.