By Allan Poston and Mohamed Adow

Corruption remains one of the most significant development challenges in Somalia. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024, published in February 2025, Somalia scored 9 out of 100, ranking 179th out of 180 countries. This places Somalia among the lowest-performing countries globally and reflects persistent weaknesses in governance and accountability, particularly in public sector functions such as procurement, budgeting, and service delivery.

While corruption is often discussed at the national level, its impacts are most directly experienced locally. District governments are responsible for managing public resources, contracting works, and delivering services that affect citizens’ daily lives. Strengthening local governance systems is therefore a critical entry point for reducing corruption risks and rebuilding trust between citizens and the state.

Local Governance Reform as an Anti-Corruption Strategy

Experience from fragile and conflict-affected contexts consistently shows that corruption flourishes where decision-making is opaque, procedures are informal, and oversight mechanisms are weak. These risks are amplified where administrative capacity is limited and lines of authority are unclear. In such environments, even routine public decisions can become vulnerable to undue influence and misuse of resources.

Effective anti-corruption responses in these settings require more than enforcement. They require predictable and transparent systems that clarify roles, limit discretion, and make decisions visible and accountable throughout the governance cycle.

The Dowlad-Kaab Programme Approach

The Dowlad-Kaab (DK) programme addresses these structural risks by focusing on the foundations of district-level governance. Implemented jointly by UNDP, UNICEF, and UN-Habitat, and financed through the Somalia Joint Fund (SJF) with earmarked support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the programme strengthens core local government systems rather than treating anti-corruption as a stand-alone activity.

Dowlad-Kaab embeds integrity and accountability principles across the full local governance cycle — from participatory planning and budgeting, through procurement and implementation, to monitoring and reporting. Local ownership of these reforms has been reinforced by the decision of Jubaland State to contribute an additional USD 14,500 from its own resources to the Local Development Fund (LDF) component of the programme for 2025.

Strengthening Procedural Integrity at District Level

A central contribution of Dowlad-Kaab to anti-corruption lies in its support for rules-based, documented, and collective decision-making processes. Through the programme, district administrations are supported to apply standardized procurement procedures, establish multi-stakeholder oversight committees, and maintain formal documentation and records for planning, procurement, and implementation.

These measures directly reduce opportunities for favoritism and undue influence, while strengthening institutional discipline and compliance with agreed rules.

Delivering Results Through the Local Development Fund in Kismayo

The Local Development Fund (LDF) in Kismayo illustrates how these systems function in practice. Project priorities were identified through participatory district planning processes involving district leadership, technical staff, community representatives, and civil society actors. For the LDF-supported water drainage project alone, 358 individuals participated in planning, consultation, and oversight processes, with approximately 25 per cent women represented.

Procurement followed a structured and fully documented evaluation process. Tenders were assessed against predefined eligibility and technical criteria using standardized scoring matrices and multi-member evaluation committees. Individual scores and final recommendations were formally recorded, creating clear audit trails, limiting individual discretion, and ensuring transparency through public disclosure of procurement outcomes.

As a result, the contractor was selected based on technical merit and value for money. The LDF-funded water drainage works in Kismayo were implemented on time and within approved budgets, delivering priority infrastructure aligned with district development plans. These investments are expected to benefit thousands of residents, particularly during the rainy seasons, while demonstrating that transparent systems can deliver effective and timely services.

Transparency and Citizen Oversight

DK’s contribution to anti-corruption extends beyond administrative procedures to include transparency and citizen engagement. By supporting participatory planning and the public disclosure of district priorities, budgets, and investment decisions, the programme enables citizens and civil society actors to monitor public expenditure and service delivery, strengthening downward accountability.

District Council Perspective

From the perspective of the Kismayo District administration, the Dowlad-Kaab programme has played a significant role in strengthening transparency, accountability, and public confidence in local governance. Through UNDP’s technical and institutional support, the administration has moved from ad hoc decision-making toward clear, documented, and rules-based processes that are understood by both officials and citizens.

While Kismayo does not yet have a formally constituted district council, it has an established local government administration with functional offices and sectoral departments performing core governance roles. With support from the Dowlad-Kaab programme, a comprehensive review of the district organogram and departmental Terms of Reference was undertaken in 2025. This process clarified roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines, strengthening institutional coherence and reducing risks associated with unclear mandates.

Participatory planning under the Local Development Fund has improved the quality and legitimacy of district priorities. By involving district leadership, technical staff, community representatives, and civil society actors in identifying and approving investments, the administration has reduced perceptions of favoritism and ensured that projects — such as the water drainage works — respond directly to community needs.

The district leadership further notes that standardized procurement procedures and the use of multi-member evaluation committees have significantly reduced individual discretion in contractor selection. The requirement to document each stage of the process, including scoring and final recommendations, has strengthened internal accountability and enhanced readiness for audits and external oversight.

Continuous capacity-building support throughout the year has also strengthened staff skills in planning, financial management, procurement, and reporting. Together, these institutional and human capacity investments demonstrate how the Dowlad-Kaab programme is laying a strong foundation for accountable, transparent, and effective local governance in Kismayo, even in advance of a formally elected district council.