LEADERSHIP AT THE CROSSROADS: NAVIGATING COMMITMENT AND TURNOVER IN KENYA’S UNIVERSITIES

Authors

  • Bonn Jonyo PhD Senior Research Fellow, KCA University, Kenya
  • Dorothy Owuor Jonyo PhD, TSC County Director, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i2.6526

Keywords:

leadership, organizational politics, loyalty, commitment, turnover intentions, leader-member exchange, employee retention, governance

Abstract

This conceptual study examines the complex interplay between leadership styles, organizational politics, and faculty loyalty in Kenyan universities, using Leader–Member Exchange (LMX) theory as an analytical lens.  It explores how varied leadership behaviors from participatory and transparent to autocratic and exclusionary shape staff morale and turnover intentions in a higher education system strained by expansion, reduced funding, and heightened accountability. Drawing on contemporary literature, the paper highlights how inclusive leadership undergirds institutional cohesion, while politicized governance and inequitable treatment erode staff commitment. It offers a critical synthesis, underscoring the need for future empirical research and targeted governance reforms. This conceptual framework is designed to support policy and leadership reform in Kenya’s higher education system by highlighting that effective supervisor–subordinate relationships are a key determinant in curbing attrition and reinforcing professional allegiance.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Bonn Jonyo, PhD Senior Research Fellow, KCA University, Kenya
    Bonn Odera Jonyo (PhD) is a scholar specializing in leadership and change management with a research focus on post-conflict governance and transitional justice in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. His work critically examines the role of inclusive leadership in rebuilding fragile institutions, designing participatory governance models, and managing reform in post-authoritarian contexts. Dr. Jonyo’s interdisciplinary research bridges the fields of political science, development studies, and organizational leadership, with particular attention to how national and local actors interact in shaping durable peace processes. Currently a Senior Research Fellow at KCA University, Kenya.
  • Dorothy Owuor Jonyo, PhD, TSC County Director, Kenya
    Dorothy Owuor Jonyo (PhD) is a researcher in education administration with a specialization in teacher management systems across African contexts. Her research explores the administrative structures and human resource strategies that support educational equity, institutional accountability, and teacher development in transitional and post-conflict settings. Dr. Dorothy brings a deep understanding of how education policy reform intersects with broader national development goals and contributes to peacebuilding through inclusive service delivery. Currently, the Teacher Service Commission Country Director, Kenya.

References

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Published

2026-02-10

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Articles

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