Culture at the Core in Leadership Learning and Development: Experiences from Western Kenya

Leadership in Africa remains an elusive and contested phenomenon on which general agreement is highly unlikely. Despite this understanding, few studies have taken into account the possible cultural influences leadership styles, differences approach that are practiced, how generalizable they can be national continental development. The aim of paper to examine culture core influencing western Kenya for study utilized Complexity System Theory, confirmed a system function operates change rules interaction among people or groups within complex adaptive interactions, both terms ends- where going; means- get there. used descriptive cross-sectional designs relied mixed methods approach. target population was two (the Luhya Abagusii, found administrative Counties Kakamega Kisii Kenya. A sample size 361 respondents from population, 25 Key informants, 16 focus group discussions direct observations were generate data. Methods data collection included: Questionnaire, Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions Observation checklist. Quantitative analyzed descriptively using inferential statistics with aid SPSS software. Qualitative by content analysis constant comparative meaning oriented thematic means. qualitative presented way reinforces each other. values, beliefs expectations influence leaders identified, chosen, developed styles adopt. Traditional also regarded as County National especially Abagusii County.