Mudavadi warns of rising graft, as new EACC report reveals Ksh.85K bribe for Gov’t jobs

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has warned that addressing the corruption scourge in the country has become harder with the vice now deeply entrenched in the society.

Mudavadi spoke on Thursday as a new report shows that securing a government job or promotion now often requires bribes running into thousands of shillings.

He said corruption has now spread to the independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) voter registration exercise, with a section of the youth allegedly demanding bribes to register as voters.

Mudavadi noted that reports show the average bribe to secure a job in Kenya has risen to Ksh.85,033, with additional payments often required for promotions.

Many Kenyans are also forced to pay bribes to access essential services, including healthcare and pension payments, a trend he warns is normalising corruption.

“Kenya Corruption Survey 2025 shows that 84% of bribes are paid before services are delivered while the average corruption cost has risen to Ksh.6,724, a growth of 30%. The report indicates that to get a government job you have to pay more than Ksh.85,000, and you also have to pay for promotion,” he said.

“Even lately, as IEBC is conducting voter registration, politicians are talking about facilitating registration. Young people are waiting to be greeted by a politician in order to register as voters. This is unacceptable, you cannot do what you criticize; it is a serious contradiction.”

The Prime CS emphasized that the problem is not the absence of laws, but gaps in implementation, noting that preventive mechanisms have become procedural rather than impactful.

“The EACC foundation is not the weakness; the problem lies in enforcement. Corruption remains entrenched even when we have established legal frameworks. Preventive mechanisms have become procedural rather than impactful. Wealth declaration has become just a compliance exercise rather than a credible tool in detecting illicit wealth,” he said.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said there is a need to enforce systems that seal corruption loopholes.

The commission urged the mandatory adoption of e-procurement in government contracting, which has faced resistance, as a way of addressing major public finance corruption.

EACC Abdi Ahmed Mohamud said: “We want the Treasury to push for the full implementation of e-procurement; that is the only solution to curb corruption in Kenya and promote good governance. Corruption has now become a cross-border economic crime involving illicit cross-border money laundering. No single country can fight this. Our strength lies in our synergy as a region.”

Countries across the East African region say corruption methods have evolved, calling for the adoption of new technologies to combat emerging trends, especially cross-border financial crimes, and are calling for immediate action to be taken against any flagged corruption reports.

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu noted: “Corruption is not inevitable, and Auditor General reports must not gather dust. The spirit of accountability must reach every public office. Corruption cannot be fought by the EACC alone; it requires collaboration that starts with institutions that are effective and accountable, as these have a direct relationship with corruption levels.”