Abstract
Leadership is crucial for social enterprises sustainability, especially in East Africa, where indigenous leadership traditions have long influenced governance. While Western models often dominate management discussions, indigenous leadership—centered on community engagement, ethical governance, and collective decision-making—provides an alternative framework for sustainable development. This study examines the impact of indigenous leadership on decision-making, organizational resilience, and employee engagement in East African social enterprises. Using a mixed-methods approach, it analyzes leadership traits from traditional governance structures, contrasts indigenous and Western models, and proposes a hybrid framework integrating both. The research anticipates that indigenous leadership promotes long-term sustainability through relational governance and ethical practices but may encounter challenges in scalability, investor relations, and formal business integration. This work contributes to leadership and sustainable enterprise development by offering a new paradigm for social enterprises, providing practical recommendations for businesses, policymakers, and strategists aiming to incorporate indigenous governance principles into modern leadership frameworks.