Leadership Strategies and Change Management in Non-Governmental Organizations in Kenya: A Case Study of Mission for Essential Drugs Supplies Usaid Dawa Za Ubora Project

Change is inevitable because once it began, it could not be halted. Most businesses had to adapt to change since it was unavoidable and a vital part of conducting business. However, organizational leaders and individual contributors needed to look beyond the present and adopt more strategic leadership approaches to their work and duties for effective change management to be realized. The objective was to examine the effects of leadership strategies on change management in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Kenya, with a specific focus on the Mission for Essential Drugs Supplies (MEDS) under the USAID Dawa za Ubora project. The study specifically sought to establish the influence of organizational communication, and organizational culture on change management at MEDS. The findings contributed to extending the body of knowledge on strategic leadership practices and organizational change management. For students, researchers, and academics, the study served as a valuable reference point and highlighted research gaps that required further exploration in both theory and practice. The study was anchored on Adaptive Leadership Theory, supported by Schein’s Organizational Culture Model and Kurt Lewin’s Theory of Change Management. A descriptive research design was employed, targeting a population of 200 respondents. Stratified random sampling was used to select 133 participants. Data was collected through questionnaires, and a pilot study was conducted with 10 participants to test the tools. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 28 and basic statistics, while findings were presented in tables and figures. Inferential statistics were applied to establish relationships among variables. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the study. The findings reveal that while the organization demonstrated notable strengths, it also faced significant challenges. Employees strongly agreed that MEDS effectively communicated its new vision and strategies (Mean = 4.14), showing that leadership provided clear direction during change. Training, provision of resources, and organizational adaptability also supported employee adjustment.. The ANOVA results confirmed the overall model as statistically significant (F = 15.463, p < .001), demonstrating that successful change management depends on the integrated interplay of clear strategic direction, open communication, supportive culture, and robust controls. In conclusion, MEDS has made considerable progress in vision-setting and employee support but must strengthen recognition systems and participatory culture to achieve more sustainable change outcomes.