Women Are Emerging as Major Drivers of Corruption in Kenya

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chairperson David Oginde has raised concern over what he described as an emerging trend in which women are increasingly appearing at the centre of major corruption scandals in Kenya.

Speaking during the release of findings from a corruption survey by the Ethics and EACC on April 13, 2026, Oginde said the commission’s investigations into high-value graft cases had revealed a pattern where women were frequently involved as key actors in mega corruption schemes.

He said that while women often remain victims of corruption at the lower levels, the situation appears different in large-scale scandals involving billions of shillings.

“At the lower level, they are the victims. At the higher level, unfortunately, they are in the driver’s seat,” Oginde said.

He also cited past cases such as the National Youth Service scandal and the edible oil scandal, noting that women featured prominently among suspects linked to the alleged misuse of public funds.

Oginde also warned of what he termed a growing trend of family-based corruption, where spouses, parents, and children collude in the concealment or movement of illegal wealth.

Relatives Being Used In Corruption

According to him, the commission has encountered multiple cases in which close relatives are used as conduits for stolen public resources, complicating investigations and recovery efforts.

“We find there are many corruption cases that we deal with where husband and wife collude, where parents and their children collude. This is another trend that is coming up, which is a reality that we need to confront,” he said.

Similar concerns about families being used to channel stolen funds have previously been highlighted in EACC reports on corruption patterns.

At the same time, the EACC chairperson noted that most corruption experiences reported by ordinary Kenyans involve small bribes paid to access services, rather than large scale scandals involving public resources.

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Survey Shows Cases Of Micro Corruption

He said survey findings showed citizens mostly encounter “micro corruption” such as payments of Ksh 500 or Ksh 1,000 to obtain services, while mega corruption involving billions rarely emerges through household surveys because the public interacts more directly with service providers.

Recent EACC survey data indicate bribery remains deeply entrenched in access to public services, with some citizens paying thousands of shillings to secure employment opportunities or essential documentation.

Oginde emphasised the need for stronger strategies to confront large-scale corruption, noting that both men and women are involved in graft networks at higher levels and calling for broader national efforts to address the challenge.

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