Leadership at the Crossroads: Navigating Commitment and Turnover in Kenya’s Universities
Leadership at the Crossroads: Navigating Commitment and Turnover in Kenya’s Universities

Summary/Abstract: This conceptual study examines the complex interplay between leadershipstyles, 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 transparentto autocratic and exclusionary - shape staff morale and turnover intentions in a highereducation system strained by expansion, reduced funding, and heightenedaccountability. Drawing on contemporary literature, the paper highlights how inclusiveleadership undergirds institutional cohesion, while politicized governance andinequitable treatment erode staff commitment. It offers a critical synthesis, underscoringthe need for future empirical research and targeted governance reforms. This conceptualgroundwork aims to inform policy and leadership development in Kenya’s highereducation system, emphasizing that high-quality supervisor‑subordinate relationshipsare essential to reversing attrition and reinforcing professional allegiance.

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