REVEALED: Why Kenyans Are Not Reporting Crimes to Police

A new TIFA Research poll has revealed that a majority of Kenyans who fall victim to crimes do not report the incidents to the police.

The survey, released on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, found that only 42% of crime victims reported their cases to the police, while 56% chose not to report. The findings offer insight into why some Kenyans remain reluctant to seek police intervention after experiencing crime.

According to the poll, the most common reason for failing to report a crime was lack of confidence in the police’s ability to successfully apprehend and prosecute suspects.

The reason was cited by 32% of crime victims who did not report their cases. The findings suggest that some victims do not believe reporting a crime will lead to the arrest or prosecution of those responsible.

Some Crimes Considered Not Serious Enough

The second most common reason was that victims did not consider the crime serious enough to report.TIFA found that 19% of those who failed to report their cases gave this reason.

Another 18% said they reported the incident to other people or bodies instead of the police. These included local elders, religious leaders and other actors.

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Concerns Over Police Corruption

Police corruption was also cited as a reason for avoiding formal reports.According to the survey, 13% of victims who did not report their cases said they lacked confidence in the police because of concerns about corruption.

Other reasons included lack of means or the distance to a police station, cited by 4% of respondents.

Some victims also said the offender was a family member or friend, while others said police were already aware of the incident or had responded on their own.

The survey also showed the different types of crimes experienced by Kenyans in 2026. Residential break-ins and burglaries were the most common, accounting for 25% of reported cases.

They were followed by theft of property outside residences at 24%, while robbery with violence accounted for 18% and robbery without violence 17%.

Assault accounted for 7% of cases, while political crime or attacks accounted for 2%.

Also Read:REVEALED: The Two Biggest Problems Troubling Kenyans Right Now

8% Experienced Crime

The TIFA poll found that 8% of Kenyans said they had personally been victims of crime since the beginning of 2026.

The survey also revealed regional differences, with South Rift recording the highest proportion of reported crime victims at 14%, followed by Nairobi and Lower Eastern at 13% each.

Coast recorded 6%, while Northern and Central Rift each recorded 3%. Among those who had experienced crime, 39% said they had been victims more than once.

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IG Kanja while attending a consultative meeting with IEBC at Westlands Nairobi on May 15,2026
PHOTO/NPS