A large majority of Kenyans say at least some of the country’s judges and magistrates are corrupt, the most recent Afrobarometer survey shows.
Even though a majority of Kenyans trust the courts, the share who say that most or all judges and magistrates are involved in corruption increased between the years 2016 and 2019. Trust in the courts was weaker among better-educated citizens and urban residents.
At a time when corruption scandals have raised questions about the integrity and trustworthiness of Kenya’s judicial system, these findings highlight challenges that the judiciary must confront as it works to implement reforms under the 2010 constitution.
Related content
Working paper
WP116: Do voters have different attitudes toward corruption? The sources and implications of popular perceptions and tolerance of political corruption
Working paper
WP110: Looking toward the future: Alternations in power and popular perspectives on democratic durability in Africa
Media resource
Access to justice in Kenya: experience and perception