KRA PIN is free, but Kenyans are being forced to pay Ksh6,000 in bribes, World Bank reveals

According to a World Bank report published in November 2026, Kenyan citizens are reportedly paying an average bribe of Ksh6,000 to obtain a Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Personal Identification Number (PIN), despite the service being advertised as free. The report, based on a 2025 survey by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), highlights the prevalence of unofficial payments required for this essential government service.

A KRA PIN is crucial for various financial and administrative transactions, including tax compliance, business registration, employment processes, and property transactions. The survey revealed that 47.4% of respondents believed that most KRA officers were involved in corruption. While the World Bank acknowledges that digitisation efforts have reduced discretion and improved access to information, it notes that manual processes and regional inconsistencies still create opportunities for bribery.

Efforts to streamline digital applications, such as the Business Registry Service and the Kenya Investor Portal, aim to address these issues, but their implementation remains uneven. The report emphasizes that merely digitising government services is insufficient; robust oversight, transparent procedures, and accountability are essential to prevent corruption.