Corruption and insecurity drag Kenya down in global rule of law ranking

By  Hilary Kimuyu

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

Kenya has ranked among the world's worst-performing countries in the fight against corruption, according to data in the 2025 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, which also highlights declining freedoms and weakening judicial independence.

The report places Kenya 102nd out of 143 countries globally, with its overall rule of law score falling by less than one per cent from the previous year.

Kenya performed particularly poorly on the absence of corruption indicator, ranking 137th globally and 31st out of 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also ranked 128th globally on order and security, underscoring persistent challenges in protecting people and property and maintaining public safety.

The findings place Kenya among countries experiencing a deterioration in the rule of law amid growing concerns over accountability, institutional independence and the protection of fundamental freedoms.

"The integrity of checks and balances has also been seriously weakened, including in Kenya," the report states.

The assessment points to setbacks in freedoms central to public participation and government oversight, including freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom of assembly and association.

Kenya was among the countries that recorded declines in both indicators. However, the report notes that civic participation remained stable, setting Kenya apart from many other countries where public engagement has weakened.

The report also highlights increasing political interference in justice systems as a global concern. Kenya was among countries that registered declines in measures assessing whether courts can effectively limit executive power and whether civil and criminal justice systems operate free from improper government influence.

Despite these setbacks, Kenya recorded stronger performances in some areas. It ranked 69th globally on open government, 82nd on civil justice and 87th on criminal justice.

Open government, which measures access to public information and mechanisms for holding governments accountable, was Kenya's strongest-performing category among the eight indicators assessed.

The index evaluates countries on constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice and criminal justice.

It draws on household surveys and assessments by legal practitioners and experts to evaluate how the rule of law functions in practice, rather than relying solely on constitutional provisions and legislation.

Globally, 68 per cent of the 143 countries and jurisdictions assessed recorded declines in the rule of law in 2025, up from 57 per cent the previous year.

The World Justice Project attributes the deterioration largely to rising authoritarian tendencies, weakening checks and balances, and shrinking civic space.

"The steady deterioration in the rule of law had slowed in recent years. This year, however, we see a sharp reversal: more countries are declining, and fewer are improving," said WJP Executive Director Alejandro Ponce.

Denmark topped the global rankings, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand. Venezuela ranked last.

Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya placed 13th out of 34 countries. It also ranked 15th among 35 lower-middle-income countries.

The findings underscore the challenge Kenya faces in translating constitutional safeguards into effective accountability, protecting civil liberties and ensuring public institutions operate within the law.

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