The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics released the Economic Survey 2023 this week.
It found that Nairobi, Kiambu and Meru counties recorded the highest crime rates.
The bureau’s statistics show that Samburu, Isiolo, Kiambu and Kajiado counties recorded significant increases in crime during the period under review.
On the other hand, the bureau also noted that Kakamega (33.4 per cent), Marsabit (25.3 per cent), Siaya (20.1 per cent) and Nandi (19.0 per cent) counties recorded a significant drop in crime during the same period.
Nairobi News analysed the report and found the following rankings of the top counties with the highest crime rates according to the number of crimes reported:
Nairobi City – 8,512
Kiambu- 7,844
Meru- 5,698
Nakuru- 4,514
Machakos- 3,813
Muranga- 2,696
Bungoma- 2,668
Kisii- 2,641
Mombasa- 2,321
Kitui- 2,314
Uasin Gishu- 2,270
Kilifi- 2,209
Kajiado – 2,117
Nyeri- 2,095
Nandi- 2,066
Makueni – 2,062
Kisumu- 2,038
Trans Nzoia- 2,022
Embu- 1,640
Kirinyaga- 1,589
The counties and areas with the least reported crimes were Tana River (459), Lamu (431), Wajir (392), Mandera (337), Railway Police (142) and Kenya Airport Police Unit (46).
The Economic Survey 2023 on Governance, Peace and Security also found that the top crimes reported to the police between 2018 and 2022 were murder, offences against morality, other offences against persons and robbery respectively.
Others were burglary, stock theft, theft, theft by servant, vehicle theft and other theft, dangerous drugs, traffic offences, criminal damage, economic crime, corruption, offences against police officers, offences against tourists and other criminal offences.
According to the survey report, the number of crimes reported to the police increased by 8.4% to 88,083 in 2022.
The highest increases in crimes reported to the police were recorded for theft of goods (36.4%), traffic offences (28.5%) and robbery (27.2%).
The survey also found that the number of theft offences will increase by 25.1% to 14,718 in 2022.
