In Somalia, politics has long been shaped by Harold Lasswell’s principle of “who gets what, when, and how,” with clan-based asymmetries determining access to power and resources. Historically dominant pastoralist clans secure the lion’s share of jobs, aid, and opportunities, while marginalized agricultural communities like the Digil-Mirifle and Somali Bantu are often left behind. The consequences are stark: in past famines, most deaths occurred among these marginalized groups. Powerful social capital networks within dominant clans ensure resilience, but such support rarely extends to weaker communities. This structural exclusion also distorts humanitarian aid distribution and reinforces cycles of vulnerability. Somalia’s delayed constitutional process and federal structure risk entrenching exclusion if federalism becomes a system of clan-based territorial dominance. Meanwhile, extremist groups like Al-Shabaab exploit resentment against elite monopolies to recruit from marginalized populations. A new, inclusive social contract is urgently needed , one that extends social capital beyond clan lines and protects minority rights. Somali-led dialogue, supported by international partners, can help ensure that federalism, citizenship, and development are rights-based, equitable, and resistant to exploitation by extremist narratives.