Kenya Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Kenya's rule of law was -0.21 in 2025, ranked 114th globally. This represents a 36.7% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Kenya's rule of law stood at -0.21 in 2025, a rise of +0.12 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -0.21 by 2025. Kenya ranked 114th globally.
Kenya’s Rule of Law score in the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators stands at –0.21 in 2025, placing the country 114th out of 193 economies and marking the highest level recorded since the series began. The indicator improved markedly from its earliest observation of –1.02 in 1996 and from the all‑time trough of –1.03 in 1998, reflecting gradual reforms in the judiciary, anti‑corruption measures and police accountability over a 26‑year span. Nonetheless, Kenya lags behind regional peers such as Ghana (–0.16) and Viet Nam (–0.15), which have achieved slightly higher scores despite different institutional contexts. The modest upward trajectory suggests that continued investment in legal infrastructure, transparent case management and capacity‑building for law‑enforcement agencies could further narrow the gap with better‑performing peers, while any reversal in reform momentum would likely stall or reverse the recent gains.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -0.15 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -0.21 | - | - |
| 2025 | -0.21 | +0.12 | #114 |
| 2023 | -0.33 | −0.01 | #120 |
| 2022 | -0.32 | +0.10 | #121 |
| 2021 | -0.42 | +0.16 | #127 |
| 2020 | -0.58 | −0.11 | #140 |
| 2019 | -0.46 | −0.04 | #131 |
| 2018 | -0.43 | +0.00 | #128 |
| 2017 | -0.43 | +0.03 | #127 |
| 2016 | -0.46 | +0.05 | #131 |
| 2015 | -0.51 | −0.10 | #128 |
| 2014 | -0.41 | +0.30 | #122 |
| 2013 | -0.72 | +0.12 | #142 |
| 2012 | -0.83 | +0.08 | #154 |
| 2011 | -0.91 | +0.04 | #163 |
| 2010 | -0.95 | +0.07 | #165 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Kenya matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Kenya's rule of law was -0.21 in 2025. Ranked 114th globally. This represents a 36.7% increase from the previous year.
Kenya's rule of law peaked at -0.21 in 2025.
The lowest rule of law in Kenya was -1.03 in 1998.
Kenya ranks 114th globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Kenya's rule of law is projected to reach -0.21 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Kenya in 2025 was -0.21. This ranks 114th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_kenya_rule-of-law,
title = {Kenya Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/kenya/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}