Corruption in Kenya is a long-standing and diverse problem according to social classes, but it is the child of the sovereignisms of the last hundred years in the country. First the colonial one, which led to cronyism and devious behaviour, to receive benefits from those who could endear themselves to the 'masters' and distribute them as much as possible to their families or community, deeming it fair regardless, rather than acting with respect to meritocracy or other parameters. After independence, power was centralised in one man and in practice to one ethnic group. This gave the Kikuyu (President Jomo Kenyatta's ethnic group) the opportunity to manage favours and opportunities so as to enrich themselves. The practice in this way went all the way down to the lowest levels of the hierarchical and bureaucratic ladder. Thus, clientelistic networks and the culture of impunity have perpetuated corrupt practices over time.
Ethnicity and tribal affiliations still play a significant role in Kenyan politics and society. And it is this that has cemented the aforementioned ethnic-based patronage networks that privilege loyalty over merit, fostering corruption and nepotism.

Corruption even increased with Kenyatta's successor, Daniel Arap Moi, in the late 1970s. Moi, an ethnic Kalenjin, like the current leader William Ruto, did nothing to strengthen institutions, centralising power even more, trying to limit the influence of the two prevailing ethnic groups. The result is weak governance structures, compounded by a lack of political will to tackle corruption. Combined with a justice system made more independent after the end of the Moi era, they have allowed the logic of bribes to flourish. The institutions responsible for supervision and enforcement are often compromised or ineffective. Even the creation of the anti-corruption bureau has proved useless, when its actions then have to be translated into certification of offences and related punishments by the courts.

Justice is often driven by the hands of corrupt politicians themselves. The politicisation of corruption investigations and the lack of political will to prosecute high-level officials have undermined efforts to fight corruption. Politicians and civil servants often exploit their positions for personal gain, without fear of consequences. 
This is compounded by a lack of transparency and accountability: The limited transparency of government operations, opaque decision-making processes and lack of accountability mechanisms have created opportunities for corruption to flourish. Citizens' access to information and control mechanisms is often limited. 
The weakness of the legal framework is a result of this: inadequate laws and loopholes in the rules have made it easier for the corrupt to evade accountability. Slow prosecutions and lack of success in prosecuting corruption cases have further eroded citizens' trust in the judicial system.

It should be added that the lack of civic education appropriate to the times and progress, the consequent limited civic engagement and the culture of silence have hampered efforts to hold public officials accountable. Civil society organisations and the media risk a lot and continuously face challenges in exposing corruption due to threats, intimidation and limited resources.

Partially to the detriment of the prevalence of corruption at low levels in Kenya, it has to be said that the level of poverty and income inequality in Kenya, with the bad example of those who use bad practices to enrich themselves more and not to survive, has fostered the logic of lace, bribes and gratuities for everything. in certain circles, even people from the lower social classes may resort to corrupt practices to meet their basic needs or to access opportunities that would otherwise not be available to them.

Ultimately, if corruption in Kenya is to be truly tackled, there needs to be comprehensive reforms in multiple areas, including strengthening institutions, promoting transparency and accountability, exemplary sentencing and punishment, improving civic engagement and promoting a culture of integrity.
It is essential that government and civil society work together to fight corruption and promote good governance.