Media Corruption Score in Kenya
Kenya: Media Corruption Score was 1.8 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.8
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
37th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.85
in 2024
All-time low
-3.16
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Media Corruption Score in Kenya, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, media corruption score in Kenya stood at 1.8.
The figure is down 2.7% on the previous year and up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, media corruption score in Kenya peaked at 1.85 in 2024 and was at its lowest, -3.16, in 1900.
That places Kenya 37th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Media Corruption Score in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -3.16 | — |
| 1901 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -3.16 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.27 | -28.3% |
| 1929 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.83 | -19.3% |
| 1946 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.85 | +1.1% |
| 1964 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -2.12 | +14.7% |
| 1966 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.12 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.26 | +6.6% |
| 1979 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -2.26 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1.66 | -26.5% |
| 1991 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -0.678 | -59.1% |
| 1993 | 0.433 | -163.9% |
| 1994 | 0.433 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.433 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.433 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.433 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.641 | +48.0% |
| 1999 | 0.641 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.866 | +35.1% |
| 2001 | 0.866 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.27 | +46.7% |
| 2003 | 1.27 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.27 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.27 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.27 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.27 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.29 | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 1.26 | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.26 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.26 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.26 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.52 | +20.5% |
| 2014 | 1.52 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.51 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.1 | -27.3% |
| 2017 | 1.1 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.11 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.11 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.17 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | 1.17 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.25 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 1.3 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 1.85 | +42.5% |
| 2025 | 1.8 | -2.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.8 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2205, 8.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.8 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2435, 7.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -3.16 | -3.16 | -3.16 | 10 |
| 1910s | -3.16 | -3.16 | -3.16 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.98 | -3.16 | -2.27 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.27 | -2.27 | -2.27 | 10 |
| 1940s | -2.05 | -2.27 | -1.83 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.83 | -1.83 | -1.83 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.98 | -2.12 | -1.83 | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.15 | -2.26 | -2.12 | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.26 | -2.26 | -2.26 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.0547 | -1.66 | 0.641 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.19 | 0.866 | 1.29 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.28 | 1.1 | 1.52 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.42 | 1.17 | 1.85 | 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 media corruption score in Kenya?
- Media corruption score in Kenya was 1.8 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest media corruption score recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.85 in 2024.
- What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.16 in 1900.
- How does Kenya rank for media corruption score?
- Kenya ranks 37th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is media corruption score rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. 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 Media Corruption Score. 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
Gauges the frequency with which journalists, publishers, or broadcasters accept payments to modify news content, indicating the integrity (or corruption) of the media sphere.