Key media freedoms in Kenya
Kenya: Key media freedoms was 1.72 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.72
Change on year
up 46.2%
World rank
36th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.72
in 2025
All-time low
-2.37
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Kenya, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Kenya is 1.72, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
That represents a change of up 46.2% on the previous year and up 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Kenya peaked at 1.72 in 2025 and was at its lowest, -2.37, in 1900.
Kenya ranks 36th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -2.37 | — |
| 1901 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.37 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.49 | -37.2% |
| 1946 | -1.79 | +20.6% |
| 1947 | -1.79 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.47 | -17.7% |
| 1949 | -1.47 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.25 | -15.4% |
| 1951 | -1.47 | +18.1% |
| 1952 | -2.03 | +37.6% |
| 1953 | -2.12 | +4.6% |
| 1954 | -1.83 | -13.9% |
| 1955 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -2.03 | +11.0% |
| 1958 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.77 | -12.7% |
| 1963 | -0.712 | -59.8% |
| 1964 | -0.898 | +26.1% |
| 1965 | -0.965 | +7.5% |
| 1966 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.965 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.54 | +59.7% |
| 1981 | -1.54 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.54 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.35 | -12.3% |
| 1984 | -1.59 | +18.0% |
| 1985 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.8 | +12.9% |
| 1990 | -1.38 | -23.4% |
| 1991 | -0.615 | -55.4% |
| 1992 | -0.131 | -78.7% |
| 1993 | -0.131 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.147 | -212.2% |
| 1995 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.255 | +73.5% |
| 2001 | 0.255 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.126 | -50.6% |
| 2003 | 0.902 | +615.9% |
| 2004 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.904 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.904 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.904 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.904 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.06 | +17.5% |
| 2011 | 1.06 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.06 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.29 | +21.3% |
| 2014 | 1.29 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.29 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.23 | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 1.42 | +15.4% |
| 2018 | 1.36 | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 1.4 | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 1.12 | -19.8% |
| 2021 | 1.45 | +28.4% |
| 2022 | 1.26 | -13.0% |
| 2023 | 0.892 | -29.0% |
| 2024 | 1.18 | +32.0% |
| 2025 | 1.72 | +46.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.72 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.292, 5.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.72 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.123, 14.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -2.37 | -2.37 | -2.37 | 10 |
| 1910s | -2.37 | -2.37 | -2.37 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.37 | -2.37 | -2.37 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.37 | -2.37 | -2.37 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.98 | -2.37 | -1.47 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.84 | -2.12 | -1.25 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.23 | -2.03 | -0.712 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.965 | -0.965 | -0.965 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.58 | -1.8 | -1.35 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1374 | -1.38 | 0.147 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6958 | 0.126 | 0.904 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.25 | 1.06 | 1.42 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.27 | 0.892 | 1.72 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More social development data for Kenya
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 617,125 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,325 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,325 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Kenya?
- Key media freedoms in Kenya was 1.72 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.72 in 2025.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.37 in 1900.
- How does Kenya rank for key media freedoms?
- Kenya ranks 36th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.