The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has called for urgent legal reforms to explicitly recognise sexual corruption as a criminal offence, as concerns grow over its widespread nature in both public and private institutions.
In a new report highlighted by Taifa Leo on Saturday, the commission warns that sexual corruption has become a deeply entrenched form of abuse, where individuals are coerced into offering sexual favours in exchange for public services, employment, or other official assistance.
EACC notes that while such conduct is widely acknowledged as corruption, Kenya’s current legal framework lacks a specific provision that clearly defines and prosecutes it as a standalone crime.
This gap, the commission says, has made enforcement difficult and allowed perpetrators to evade accountability.
The report further reveals that sexual corruption is not limited to isolated incidents but is increasingly being reported across various sectors, including government offices and private service providers.
It describes the practice as a “dangerous and hidden form of corruption” that undermines integrity in service delivery and erodes public trust in institutions.
According to the findings, women seeking services from public officials are particularly vulnerable, with the study indicating they are twice as likely as men to be subjected to demands for sexual favours.
The commission says this highlights a gendered dimension of corruption that disproportionately affects women and other vulnerable groups.
EACC is now urging Parliament to amend existing anti-corruption laws to explicitly criminalise sexual corruption and strengthen penalties against offenders.
The commission argues that clearer legal definitions would enhance investigations, improve prosecution rates, and deter potential perpetrators.
Stakeholders in governance and gender rights are also being called upon to support reforms aimed at addressing what EACC describes as a “serious and underreported violation” of human dignity within service delivery systems.