Kenya Ranked 16th in Global Organized Crime Index

Kenya has been ranked 16th out of 193 countries in the world for organized crime, according to the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index. The report, which was released by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, found that Kenya is the most resilient country in East Africa to organized crime, but that levels of criminality are increasing worldwide.

The report cited drug trafficking, human trafficking, human smuggling, commodity smuggling, cattle rustling, extortion, burglary, robbery, money laundering, executions, and assassinations as some of the illegal activities that are fueling organized crime in Kenya. It also noted that Kenya experiences a high level of corruption among government officials and executive officeholders, which leads to financial fraud, embezzlement, and misuse of funds.

The report found that the status of organized criminality in Kenya increased by 0.07 points, from 6.95 in 2021 to 7.02 in 2022. However, Kenya’s orgarnised crimes resilience score improved by 0.13 to 5.33 in 2022 from the 5.21 score in 2021.

The report also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the rise of cyber-dependent crime in Kenya, which has more than doubled since 2021. In addition, Kenya’s digital transformation has led to an increase in cyber-dependent crimes such as data breaches and ransomware. Healthcare systems, utility providers, public infrastructure, insurance firms, schools, government organizations, and financial institutions are among the primary targets of cybercriminals.

The report’s findings are concerning, but they also highlight the need for increased investment in law enforcement and other measures to combat organized crime in Kenya. The government should also work to reduce corruption and improve transparency in order to create a more resilient environment against organized crime.