Uasin Gishu County leads in bribery, survey shows

Uasin Gishu County has been named the worst in Kenya when it comes to bribe payments. This is according to the 2024 National Ethics and Corruption Survey (NECS) by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), released in February 2025. The county accounts for 11.12 per cent of all bribes in the country, more than any other county.

It is followed by Baringo (6.94 per cent), Embu (5.54 per cent), and Homa Bay (5.32 per cent). Uasin Gishu also has the highest average bribe, with people paying around Ksh25,873, far above the national average of Ksh4,878. This shows a serious problem in how public services are being offered.

Bribes for basic Services

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The survey, which involved nearly 6,000 households, found that many people in Uasin Gishu had to pay bribes to get services like jobs, tenders, and land documents. Around 63 per cent of people in the county said they had to give a bribe to get services, and they were asked for bribes nearly once in every visit to a government office.

Nationally, more people experienced bribery in 2024—30.5 per cent compared to 25.7 per cent the year before. Police and registration officials were named as the top receivers of bribes. In Uasin Gishu, land and job services were especially affected.

Uasin Gishu has faced more investigations. In December 2024, the EACC arrested the County Executive in charge of Lands for demanding bribes. Earlier, in May 2025, the Senate began looking into Ksh5 billion worth of stalled projects in the county.

In 2023, Uasin Gishu was ranked third in bribe share. The problem seems to be getting worse. Experts say the county’s fast growth and rich farming lands may be attracting corrupt officials.

Eldoret, the county’s capital, is known for farming and athletics. But corruption is hurting the local economy. It makes life more expensive and worsens joblessness. People even pay bribes to get ID cards or jobs, making things harder for the poor.

Most residents feel the fight against corruption is failing, and only a few report bribery cases because they fear revenge or think nothing will change.