Police most corrupt according to EACC report

Kenya Police remains the most corrupt public institution in the country at 23.8 per cent, according to the 2017 National Ethics and Corruption Survey.

The National Police Service Commission, that is supposed to ensure smooth functioning of the Police Service, was ranked second at 13.7 per cent.

Public hospitals were third at 9.8 per cent and Kenya Revenue Authority fourth at 8.2 per cent.

The National Land Commission was placed the fifth at 7.3 per cent followed closely by the National Transport and Safety Authority (4.9 per cent) and Immigration Department at 4.3 per cent.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Eliud Wabukala made the announcement on Monday KICC.

In the ministries’ category, the Interior ministry under Fred Matiang’i was ranked the most corrupt at 64.7 per cent followed by the Health ministry at 27.8 per cent.

Others in the top five are ministries of Lands and Urban Development ( 23.9 per cent) , Transport and Infrastructure (13 per cent) and Education (11.7 per cent).

Although the survey showed corruption as a major problem facing the country, it has declined in public offices from 42 per cent to 38 per cent.

“Poverty (37 per cent) came second followed by unemployment (32.2 per cent), unfavorable economic conditions (22.2 per cent) and political instability (21.8 per cent),” Wabukala said.

The survey reveals that chiefs’ offices encompassing the village elders led in the public offices where bribes were paid at 17 per cent.

They were followed by the regular police at 16.4 per cent,  Registrar of Persons Offices (10.5 per cent), County Health Department (7.6 per cent), Ministry of Lands (6.1 per cent), Ministry of Health (5.4 per cent  and Huduma Centres (5.1 per cent).

However, the average times a bribe was paid increased slightly by 0.05 times from 1.27 times to 1.33.

“The survey shows that those who paid bribes to obtain service in public offices increased markedly to 62 per cent from 46 per cent,” Wabukala said.

Out of the 5,977 households and 15 key informants sampled in the 47 counties, most respondents said they engage in unethical conduct to hasten up services, secure a job and avoid problems with the authorities.

Over 27 per cent of the respondents were explicitly asked for a bribe while seeking government services, 9.8 per cent were implicitly asked while 2.1 per cent voluntarily offered to bribe to obtain the services.

“A majority of the respondents indicated that given an opportunity they would not engage in corrupt and unethical conduct compared to 22 per cent who said that they would take up the opportunity,” the report said.

The report revealed that those who paid bribes to obtain services in public offices increased from 46 per cent.to 62.2 per cent.

[Video] Corruption survey: EACC releases finding on graft survey https://t.co/XzAahEGQBb

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Mandera and Kisumu counties were ranked top in the amount of bribes paid with the Finance and Planning Department in county governments perceived to be most prone to corruption at 17.8 per cent .

Wabukala said the commisssion will lobby for harsher punishments for those found guilty of corruption after the majority of the respondents (22.2 per cent) suggested prosecution and jailing of guilty persons.