Innovative Leadership and the Transformation of Service Delivery in Public Institutions

Abstract

This paper explores how innovative leadership can transform service delivery in public institutions across East Africa, focusing on Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. It addresses persistent challenges such as bureaucratic inertia, inefficiency, and low accountability by examining leadership practices that embrace vision, participation, and technology. The study’s objectives are to review existing literature and case studies on innovative leadership in the region and to assess how these practices drive performance-based improvements in service delivery. Using a qualitative approach, the research combines an Exploratory design to explore the recent peer-reviewed studies and official reports with comparative case studies from sectors including water utilities, business registration, and multi-service centres. The analysis is grounded in Transformational Leadership Theory and Public Value Theory, which together explain how leaders inspire staff, foster creativity, and generate value for citizens through legitimacy, strategic alignment, and operational capacity. Key findings reveal that transformational leadership boosts staff motivation, reduces turnover, and enhances efficiency; that digital platforms and performance-based contracts significantly shorten service timelines and improve accountability; and that citizen feedback systems and integrated service hubs increase public trust and responsiveness. The paper concludes with recommendations to develop leadership capacity, institutionalize digital performance tools, promote participatory governance, create innovation hubs, secure sustainable funding, and foster cross-sector learning, aiming to build an environment where public services are efficient, transparent, and centred on citizens’ needs.