Existing literature indicates that ethical leadership has a significant effect on various organizational results. Accordingly, based on social learning theory and social exchange theory, the present research conducts an empirical investigation into how ethical leadership affects performance in public sector organizations, with particular emphasis on the mediating roles of perceived organizational politics and corporate social responsibility, alongside the moderating influence of organizational social capital. Data were gathered through a quantitative, cross-sectional web-based survey employing convenience sampling, involving 292 employees from federal government and federal member state levels in Somalia. The analysis was performed via structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS4 software. Findings demonstrate that ethical leadership has direct impacts on organizational performance, perceived organizational politics, and corporate social responsibility. Moreover, perceived organizational politics partially mediates the link between ethical leadership and organizational performance. The research provides actionable suggestions for public sector entities and decision-makers to improve performance by promoting ethical leadership. It also addresses a gap in the literature by investigating the connection between ethical leadership and performance in public organizations, particularly within the Somali context. The inclusion of multiple mediating and moderating elements has enhanced insight into the mechanisms through which ethical leadership shapes public sector organizational performance.
