State must prove it wants to end police corruption
By Editorial, August 1, 2025The 2025 Kenya Bribery Index reveals – for the umpteenth time – that the police force remains the most corrupt public institution. Out of every 10 Kenyans who interacted with the police, seven found themselves in a bribery situation. Nearly 40 percent of all bribes reported nationwide were paid to the police.
This is not a new revelation. For years, the police have ranked consistently high in likelihood and prevalence of bribery. What should jolt our national conscience is not just the persistence of this trend, but the deep sense of resignation attendant to it.
We live in a society that seems to not only rationalise corruption but also accepts the vice as a way of life, despite of expressions of commitment from the apex of government to tackle it.
The stinking levels of graft in the police force and in the offices of other government agencies are a mockery of the institutions set up to fight the crime. This is despite reforms that have been prescribed to weed out the rot.
What happened to the numerous police reform initiatives – from the 2009 National Police Task Force to the more recent 2022 Police Reform Taskforce? The initiatives produced actionable recommendations aimed at improving accountability, professionalism, and trust in public institutions.
Who polices the police? Why is internal oversight so ineffective? The Transparency International report suggests that the frequency and perceived necessity of paying bribes to the police are not diminishing. Citizens continue to pay because they believe they won’t receive services otherwise – or, worse, that they may face harassment or fabricated charges.
And what about the digitisation of services? While other services like Huduma Centres have seen remarkable improvements due to automation – reporting the lowest likelihood of bribery at just nine percent – that cannot be said for the police. But why has the government been so slow to roll out online systems for reporting crimes, paying fines, and seeking permits, which would reduce face-to-face interactions that are ripe for exploitation?
Kenya suffers from a serious corruption cancer even as leaders continue playing to the gallery. President William Ruto must lead from the forefront. Agencies like the National Transport and Safety Authority should be ashamed. There must be a demonstrable and unwavering commitment to end the culture of impunity that allows corrupt officers to thrive.