EACC survey reveals cost of bribery for services, tenders

The anti-graft agency on Monday revealed the cost of paying bribes for government services with taxpayers on average requiring Sh5,058 to access services such as birth certificates State jobs and tenders.

About two-thirds of Kenyans the Ethics and Anti-corruption commission (EACC) surveyed revealed that they did not receive government services after failing to pay a bribe.

Those seeking employment, the survey showed, parted with an average of Sh28,606 — almost four times less than the Sh102,000 Kenyans were willing to lose to get a government tender, a lucrative business going by the various reports on plunder and exaggeration of costs of projects.

Kenyans parted with Sh17,611 for building or construction certificate and Sh15,240 for a transfer from their government work stations. To register a group, pass a driving test, and follow up on pension, Kenyans had to part with averages of Sh10,500, Sh8,649 and Sh7,241.

Half of those who paid bribes said it was the only way to access the services, with two in 10 saying they parted with cash to hasten the delivery of the service.

The survey was done between September 18 and October 24 and the EACC sampled 5,977 households in 47 counties.

While the national average of the bribes Kenyans gave dropped by almost Sh2,000 from 2016, the survey showed that those who paid bribes for State services increased 62.2 per cent last year, from 46 per cent the previous year.

Three in 10 Kenyans said given the opportunity, they would happily engage in corruption. Two in 10 said they had done so in the past.

A first degree-holder, the survey said, was four times more likely to bribe as compared to a Kenyan with no formal education, with an average of Sh11,222 being dished out by the former and Sh3,954 by the latter.

Those with Master’s degree and above were only willing to part with Sh3,694, the third lowest average after those with informal education (Sh2,430), and Sh2,636 that a primary school education holder was willing to part with. Women, the study showed, are more likely to bribe with an average of Sh5,579 against the Sh4,718, the average that men were willing to give.

In the 2017 survey, Kenyans paid Sh6,080 to pay for land rates, Sh2,737 to report a crime or write a statement, Sh3,688 to obtain a death certificate, and Sh2,065 to seek relief food or water.

Kenyans had to pay Sh7,241 to follow up on their pension, Sh4,400 to register and collect land title deeds, Sh6,052 to get agricultural extension services.

At the bottom of the services that Kenyans pay for is a Sh200 bribe to apply for the National Social Security Fund card, a pin number from the Kenya Revenue Authority, with a Sh460 bribe required to get a National Hospital Insurance Fund card.