This study sought to explore the leadership of Early Childhood Education (ECCE) in the rnEthiopian landscape. More specifically, the study investigated ECCE leadersâ€™ assignment, their rnleadership behavior, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in ECCE, the use of pedagogical rnleadership in ECCE centers, and challenges of leadership in ECCE. Guided by the constructivist rnparadigm, the study adopted a multisite qualitative case study. Semi-structured interviews, rnobservation, and document analysis were utilized to gather relevant data. Of these, the semi structured interview was the dominant data garnering protocol. A total of 21 study participants of rnthe diverse profile were purposefully chosen from six ECCE centers found in Oromia regional rnstate and Addis Ababa city administration and interviewed. The data collected were presented, rnanalyzed, organized, and reported in themes along the five key specific objectives mentioned rnabove. An inductive method of data analysis, mainly cross-case analysis, was used to group rnsimilar ideas gathered from participants of the study. The study revealed a number of results. To rnbegin with, the study indicated that the ECCE centerâ€™s leadership assignment lacked rnprofessionalism. None of the principals were also qualified for the job and no ECCE principals rntraining scheme is in place. On a positive note, despite lacking the required training, female rnECCE principals were found to deliver better than their male counterparts. Apart from that, rnirrespective of the type of the ECCE center, leaders were found to exhibit telling, selling, rnparticipating, delegating, and caring leadership behaviors in varying degrees. The data further rnentails the prevalence of more OCB among private ECCE center leaders than the public ones. In rna similar comparison, ECCE center teachers were found to demonstrate OCB across all ECCErncenters. In light of gender differences, female teachers were found to display a behavior that was rnmore consistent with the dimensions of OCB. By and large, this study uncovered a disconnect rnbetween the practices of pedagogical leadership and what is stipulated in the 2010 national rnECCE Policy Framework. In conclusion, among the multifarious challenges encountered in rnECCE settings, issues related to pedagogy, administration, institutional structure, and attitudernwere found to be the predominant setbacks that required consideration. To make a difference, all rnconcerned parties primarily the government should expend their concerted effort by rethinking rnand restructuring the presently observed ECCE units, particularly the pubic ones. The overall rnimplication of all this is the greater the attention given by the government and other key players rnto the ECCE sector, the better opportunities created for children to fully enjoy their natural rntalents and grow following their natural order of care and education they deserve.rnFinally, the study also called for additional investigations on the leadership of ECCE, for this rnstudy might give some clues for other researchers that could help them embark further