Purpose: The study examined the influence of strategic leadership on employee commitment and organizational performance in public sector organizations in Mozambique. It aimed to understand how leadership practices shape workforce engagement and institutional effectiveness, addressing gaps in public administration research in emerging economies.

Methodology/Design: A quantitative research design was employed using a survey questionnaire administered to 320 employees across selected public institutions. The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) ^[22] formula to ensure representativeness. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test three hypotheses: the effects of strategic leadership on employee commitment, employee commitment on organizational performance, and strategic leadership on organizational performance.

Findings: Results revealed that strategic leadership positively and significantly influenced both employee commitment (β = 0.69, p < 0.01) and organizational performance (β = 0.63, p < 0.01). Additionally, employee commitment was found to have a strong positive effect on organizational performance (β = 0.72, p < 0.01). These findings confirm the theoretical predictions of Strategic Leadership Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and Resource-Based View Theory.

Implications: The study highlights the importance of investing in strategic leadership development and fostering employee engagement to enhance public sector performance. Policymakers and managers can leverage these insights to improve institutional effectiveness through leadership and workforce practices.

Originality/Value: The study provides empirical evidence from Mozambique, contributing to the limited literature on strategic leadership and its organizational impact in public sector contexts within emerging economies.