Prevalence of corruption in Kenya increased in 2023, a new report published by Transparency International shows.
The 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index shows that Kenya dropped from 32 to 31 points. Transparency International's customary scoring system signifies that a higher score, closer to 100, indicates lower corruption, while a lower score suggests a higher prevalence of corruption in the country, while a score below 50 denotes serious levels of public sector corruption.
According to a 10-year analysis compiled by the anti-corruption watchdog, Kenya recorded the least corruption in 2022 when the country was awarded a score of 32 points and the most graft in 2015 when the nation garnered a score of 25.
"Kenya’s slight decline in the CPI 2023 compared to the CPI 2022 can be attributed to a dearth of successful prosecutions in graft cases witnessed in the recent past, with a number of cases either dragged inordinately, withdrawn by the prosecution or resulted in acquittals with no publically known efforts to review the withdrawn cases or appeal the cases lost," the report read in part.
"One glaring example is the bungled Ksh 63 billion Arror-Kimwarer dam graft case, which is one among the several mismanaged cases that are seemingly part of a broader pattern of controversies that have plagued the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in the recent past," the report further reads.
The report observed that the collapse of such high-profile cases has eroded public confidence in ODPP's ability to uphold the rule of law and tame corruption.
The report indicates that Kenya's score of 31 fell below the Sub-Saharan average score of 33 and the global average score of 43.
Comparison With EAC Countries
Rwanda is the least corrupt nation in the East African region having obtained a score of 53 points, an improvement from the 51 points recorded in 2022.
Meanwhile, Tanzania got a score of 40, an improvement from the 38 scores posted the previous year.
However, Kenya fared better compared to Uganda and Burundi which were both ranked as more corrupt nations.
Uganda maintained a score of 26 while Burundi got 20 points compared to the 17 it secured in 2022.
Countries that scored above the global average from the Sub-Saharan Africa region include; Seychelles (71 points), Cabo Verde (64 points), Botswana
(59 points), Rwanda (53 points), Mauritius (51 points), Namibia (49 points), and São Tomé and Príncipe (45 points).
