A strong undercurrent driving the unprecedented anti-tax protests in Kenya is outrage over theft of public resources coupled with the extravagant lifestyles of public servants.

There are widespread frustrations that President William Ruto also failed to deliver on his electoral promises to address corruption. He’s even earned a new nickname — “Zakayo”, a reference to the corrupt biblical Zaccheus, the chief tax collector of Jericho. Gedion Onyango provides insights into how bad corruption is in Kenya and what’s needed to rein it in.

Corruption is deeply entrenched in Kenya and has been synonymous with politics and public service since independence, in the 1960s.

Corruption has become part of how public institutions work and government is full of corrupt individuals. It’s prevalent at every level and affects access to essential services such as water, education and healthcare. Bribery, extortion and kickbacks are some of the key forms of corruption in public service delivery and production.

This has a significant impact on the lives of Kenyans. It drains resources that could otherwise have been invested into key services that are desperately needed, like healthcare. It also hinders the country’s economic development by adding to debt levels and limiting government performance.

In 2016, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission said Kenya lost about US$6 billion to corruption every year.

My research over the years has centred on kickbacks, bribery and the institutionalisation of bureaucratic corruption in Kenya’s public sector. It provides evidence of the realities of corruption in Kenya and its impact on ordinary citizens. I also look into solutions for corruption, such as whistleblowing, and the need for whistleblower protection.

Through my work, I’ve found that the system is layered with corrupt practices. Three out of four Kenyans have either participated in police corruption or witnessed it. This means that most Kenyans, directly or indirectly, have been affected by corruption.

Data from the Afrobarometer research institution shows that most Kenyans (51.6%) believe that some civil servants are corrupt. This is higher than the average of 47.4% across African countries studied. In light of the current unrest, it’s useful to note that 44.5% of Kenyans perceive tax officials as corrupt.

Corruption also seems to be getting worse. The recent 2022 National Ethics and Corruption Survey reveals a worrying trend of increased bribery for accessing public services. The percentage of people who reported paying bribes rose from 55.9% in 2021 to 64% in 2022. This includes getting business licences, police protection or even access to water and healthcare.

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