The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) are among the most corruption-prone public services.
According to findings from the 2024 National Ethics and Corruption Survey.
The report reveals that Kenyans are most likely to encounter bribery when interacting with these institutions, especially during job applications.
For those seeking positions through the TSC, the likelihood of being asked for a bribe stands at 1.58 per interaction—the highest score recorded in the entire survey.
Several other public services also registered high levels of bribery risk. These include the application processes for CDF bursaries, college admissions, NSSF and SHIF cards, as well as access to land survey and county housing services.
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Regarding the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the report notes: “There is a likelihood that each time a service is sought in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, one is likely to be asked for a bribe 1.25 times.”
At the county level, Kwale (1.09), Kilifi (1.03), and Wajir (1.02) emerged as the top three counties with the highest frequency of bribe solicitation, indicating persistent and systemic issues in service delivery.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) attributes the widespread bribery to entrenched institutional behaviours.
Alarmingly, 43.3 per cent of those surveyed reported paying bribes because they were demanded directly, while 23.3 per cent stated that they did so because it was the only way to receive the service.
However, only 2.8 per cent of victims ever took action by reporting to authorities.
In response to these findings, the EACC is now recommending focused system audits and institutional reforms in high-risk areas, such as the TSC, NSSF, and CDF, to dismantle corrupt practices and safeguard the integrity of public services.
By Joseph Mambili
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