Somalia is often ranked among the world’s most fragile states, consistently appearing near the top of the Fragile States Index. While these rankings highlight serious governance challenges, critics argue they perpetuate stereotypes and oversimplify complex realities. State fragility is frequently portrayed through a Western lens, equating governance solely with the presence of a strong central government. In Somalia, however, governance has historically existed without centralized state structures, both in the pre-colonial era and during periods of state collapse. The assumption that building a strong, centralized government will automatically lead to stability overlooks Somalia’s decentralized traditions and federal framework. Since adopting federalism in 2004, Somalia was meant to devolve power to Federal Member States (FMS), but recent years have seen growing centralization, fueling political disputes and undermining governance at the local level.