Leadership Practices and Perceived Levels of Corruption in the Procurement Department within the Judiciary of Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of leadership practices on perceived levels of corruption in procurement department in the judiciary of Kenya. Also, the study sought to establish the moderating role of the gender of the procurement committee leader on the relationship between leadership practices and perceived levels of corruption. In addition, the study examined the extent to which bureaucracy moderates the relationship between leadership practices and perceived levels of corruption in the procurement department of the judiciary. The study was guided by the principal-agent theory, risk aversion theory, institutional theory, human development theory and dependency theory. It utilized the concurrent triangulation design and targeted a population of 278 heads of procurement committees in 278 court stations of the Kenyan judiciary and key informants from six oversight organizations. From this population, a sample of 164 heads of procurement committees was selected using the stratified proportionate random sampling technique. Quantitative data was collected from the heads of procurement committees using questionnaires while qualitative data was collected by interviewing 12 key informants that were purposively selected from the six oversight organizations. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviation. The data was further analysed using inferential statistics including cross-tabulation with chi-square and the multiple linear regression method. Qualitative data was analysed using the thematic content analysis and presented using illustrative quotes. The study found that leadership independence, leadership transparency, leadership accountability, and leadership fairness have a statistically significant and negative effect on levels of corruption in the procurement departments in the Kenyan judiciary. Findings further showed that there were high levels of bureaucracy within the procurement departments, and that bureaucracy significantly alters the effect of leadership practices on levels of corruption in the procurement departments. However, the gender of procurement committee heads did not have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between leadership and levels of corruption in the judiciary procurement department. Based on the findings, the study concludes that leadership independence, transparency, accountability, and fairness reduce levels of corruption in government procurement. The effect of leadership practices on corruption in government procurement is subject to levels of bureaucracy in the government institutions. The study also recommends formulation of laws, policies and strategies aimed at improving the independence, transparency, accountability, and fairness of leaders in government procurement departments. It also recommends a reduction in the levels of bureaucracy within the procurement departments.