Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has declared that both those who take bribes and those who give them will face arrest and prosecution, regardless of whether they are police officers or members of the public.
Addressing Parliament, Murkomen stressed that corruption is a two-way street and that focusing only on officers receiving bribes overlooks the culpability of those offering them. “If a businessperson offers money to bypass the law, they are equally guilty,” he said, adding that the fight against bribery must be a collective effort.
His remarks follow the release of the Kenya Bribery Index by Transparency International Kenya, which revealed that only 17% of bribery cases are reported — a modest rise from 13% in 2019 and 6% in 2017. Many victims cited fear of retaliation, lack of faith in authorities, or their own participation as reasons for staying silent.
The report showed that self-employed individuals were the most likely to give bribes at 48%, followed by employed persons at 28%, students or the unemployed at 18%, and retirees at 6%. Murkomen noted that the trend is troubling, warning that even innocent people who pay bribes to “avoid trouble” are fueling the problem.
In a statement covered by K24 Digital, Murkomen urged Kenyans to reject bribery altogether and follow the law, saying this is the only way to root out the vice. “Some pay bribes to escape court, even when they have done nothing wrong. This only strengthens corruption,” he cautioned.
The CS concluded by calling on citizens to be active partners in the anti-corruption fight, insisting that lasting change will only come when both the public and government take responsibility.
By K24 Digital