Empowering communities: Assessing the impact of decentralisation on citizen participation in formal organisations within Somalia's evolving governance landscape

This study examines the impact of decentralisation on citizen engagement within formal organisations in Somalia's dynamic governance landscape, a context rarely examined through direct field-based inquiry due to ongoing insecurity. Researchers conducted a representative study to assess perceptions of formal institutions, levels of civic involvement, and barriers to participation. The study employed a qualitative approach with semi-structured interview questions. Between October and December 2023, twenty-nine Somalis in Mogadishu were randomly selected for the study. Using NVivo 14 for thematic analysis, three key themes emerged: awareness and knowledge, participation experience, and barriers to participation. Despite theoretical expectations that decentralisation fosters local engagement, findings show limited public involvement, shaped by mistrust, poor communication, and structural challenges. By generating rare primary data from a conflict-affected setting, this study provides valuable empirical insights into the disconnect between governance reforms and lived realities. It offers practical recommendations for enhancing participation and contributes to scholarly discussions on post-conflict governance and citizen engagement.