42.9% of Kenyans report police abuse with Kisumu recording highest cases

The Justice System Response to Police Accountability report by International Justice Mission Kenya, which engaged 5,700 participants across nine counties through surveys and 17 focus group discussions (FGDs), paints a stark picture of abuse, mistrust, and weak accountability within the country’s criminal justice system.

While the findings indicate a slight decline in prevalence from 46.2% in 2019 to 42.9%, the scale of abuse remains troubling. An even greater majority — 69.9% of respondents — reported witnessing misconduct during the same period, confirming that police malpractice is not only common but highly visible in daily life.

The study classified misconduct into three categories: low, medium, and high severity. Medium-severity misconduct was most prevalent, accounting for 85.2% of reported cases, with corruption/extortion (55.8%) and harassment (54.7%) leading the list. Low-severity cases such as verbal intimidation stood at 31.3%, while high-severity abuses involving serious harm or violations stood at 27.7%.

Men reported more abuse than women (61.4% vs 38.5%), and urban residents (75.9%) were more likely to suffer compared to rural residents (24.1%). Education appeared to increase exposure, with 67.7% of victims having higher education levels.

Regionally, Kisumu County recorded the highest prevalence across all severity categories, while the 25–34 age group was most affected, particularly by high-severity misconduct (24.4%).

Focus group discussions also highlighted that certain groups remain particularly vulnerable, including youths, informal workers such as matatu touts and hawkers, Muslims and Cushitic communities, sex workers, and people with visible traits like long beards, tattoos, or dreadlocks.

Despite high victimization rates, many Kenyans expressed willingness to seek justice: 63.7% were ready to report police misconduct, and 88% said they would participate in proceedings. 

However, reality proved different. Among the 2,444 who had experienced abuse, 62.6% did not report their cases to either formal or informal actors. Of the 915 reports made, just over half (52.5%) reached criminal justice agencies like the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), or Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), while 45.6% were taken to chiefs and community leaders. Encouragingly, once cases entered the justice process, 75.4% of survivors stayed engaged, though nearly a quarter (23.6%) dropped out midway.

Focus group discussions highlighted several barriers to justice. A deep lack of trust in institutions was the most cited reason, with many viewing police, courts, and oversight bodies as corrupt or ineffective. 

Financial challenges also played a significant role, with high legal fees, transport costs, and prolonged court processes discouraging many from pursuing justice. 

Fear of retaliation emerged as another strong deterrent, particularly in areas where police abuse is rampant, as citizens worried that reporting misconduct might expose them to harassment, intimidation, or even violence. 

The absence of a strong witness protection framework only worsened this situation, leaving victims and witnesses exposed to threats. Institutional inefficiency also emerged as a key concern, with IPOA and the IAU criticized for slow investigations, poor coordination, and delayed justice.

The findings underscore a painful reality-while Kenyans remain willing to engage with the justice system, systemic barriers force many to suffer in silence.