Only 14% trust police and justice system, survey finds

Despite facing harassment, arbitrary arrests, extortion, shootings, or disappearances, most victims of police misconduct in Kenya do not report their experiences to authorities, according to a recent survey.

The study by the International Justice Mission (IJM) highlights a sharp decline in public trust in the criminal justice system, raising concerns about accountability and citizen protection.

The survey, which focused on police abuse of power between March 2022 and March 2024, found that only 14.3 per cent of participants expressed confidence in the criminal justice system.

Institutions examined in the study included the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Internal Affairs Unit, and the Victim Protection Board.

The low public confidence persists despite ongoing outreach by criminal justice agencies, including the Judiciary and police, aimed at restoring trust.

The IJM study involved 5,700 participants through a quantitative household survey covering nine counties, alongside 17 focused group discussions across Garissa, Kakamega, Kisumu, Machakos, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Uasin Gishu.

Focused group discussions explored citizens’ experiences with police misconduct, shedding light on factors that make the public vulnerable to abuse. The report notes “a severe lack of confidence in the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Kenya to protect vulnerable people and deter police officers from abusing their power.”

The survey also measured stakeholder perceptions of justice system efficiency.

Only 14.3 per cent of stakeholders expressed overall confidence.

Confidence levels in specific institutions were even lower: 2 per cent for the National Police Service and DCI, and 8.2 per cent for IPOA and the Victim Protection Board. Even the institutions with slightly higher confidence, such as the ODPP (16.3 per cent) and courts (10.2 per cent), still reflected very weak public trust.

On average, only 7.8 per cent of stakeholders believed the criminal justice system operated efficiently.

The reluctance to report police abuse is stark. Among participants who said they were victimized by police, 62.6 per cent did not report the incidents, while 37.4 per cent had made reports. Many cited a lack of faith in the system to ensure safety or deliver justice promptly.

“The reasons for not reporting,  were primarily a lack of trust in criminal justice institutions (29.2 per cent) and a lack of awareness about where to report such cases (28.9 per cent),” the report notes.

Other reasons included lengthy case processes (18.4 per cent), fear of retaliation (16.4 per cent), perceived corruption and inefficiency (26.2 per cent), and the costs associated with pursuing justice (17.3 per cent).

The findings reveal a systemic failure in the justice system, showing that despite outreach and oversight mechanisms, both public and stakeholder confidence in accountability remains critically low.