Establishing governance in general—and fiscal governance mechanisms in particular—has been the mainstay of state-building efforts in Somalia. This has been backed and championed by the donor community since the country transitioned to a permanent government in 2012 under a federal model, following years of transitional governments from 2000 to 2012. Though these efforts were incremental in nature, they yielded commendable results, as they led to the enactment of legal frameworks and systems pertinent to public financial management at both federal and federal member state levels, enhancing revenue generation and accountability.

The study investigates to what extent groups affected by past violations, including victims/survivors, affected communities, and society at large, are involved in these processes and how their participation could be enhanced. Applying a contextual and local lens, it examines and identifies ways in which transitional justice processes in Somalia have and could enable people’s agency over the goals, forms, and outcomes of processes dealing with the past.

This study aims to address this gap by examining how domestic actors in Somalia, including local media, civil society organizations, and government institutions, view and engage with accountability. It identifies overlooked perspectives, examines how local stakeholders attempt to improve accountability to their communities, analyses the political economy dynamics shaping these efforts, addresses main challenges and presents targeted recommendations to each stakeholder.