Ethical leadership, deterrence measures and regulatory compliance among public officials in Busia district local government.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between ethical leadership, deterrence measures, and regulatory compliance among public officials in Busia District, Uganda. The study was guided by three objectives, to examine the relationship between ethical leadership and regulatory compliance; to examine the relationship between deterrence measures and regulatory compliance, and to examine the moderating role of deterrence measures in the relationship between ethical leadership and regulatory compliance. Guided by Social Learning Theory and Deterrence Theory, the study adopted a cross-sectional research design within a quantitative approach. A sample of 256 public employees was drawn from a population of 712 using Yamane's (1967) formula. The study employed using a self-administered questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed through Content Validity Index scores above .81 and Cronbach's alpha coefficients above .73 for all three constructs. Using a combination of stratified and simple random sampling, data were collected from 207 respondents at a response rate of 80.9 percent. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and moderated regression using the PROCESS macro (Model 1). The findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between ethical leadership and regulatory compliance, and a stronger positive relationship between deterrence measures and regulatory compliance. Deterrence measures also significantly moderated the relationship between ethical leadership and regulatory compliance, strengthening it as deterrence increased.
The study concludes that ethical leadership and deterrence measures are interdependent drivers of regulatory compliance, with deterrence measures conditioning how fully ethical leadership translates into compliance among public employees. The study recommends that Busia District Local Government institutionalise regular ethics engagement between supervisors and staff, strengthen the visibility of oversight mechanisms, and ensure the consistent and fair application of penalties for non-compliance. However, the study acknowledges limitations including its cross-sectional design, its confinement to Busia District, and its reliance on self-reported data collected through a single questionnaire.
Keywords: Ethical leadership, deterrence measures, regulatory compliance, public officials, Busia district, local government.
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Citation
Oundo, P. (2026). Ethical leadership, deterrence measures and regulatory compliance among public officials in Busia district local government. [Unpublished dissertation]. Busitema University.