"FROM CENTRALIZATION TO FEDERATION: UNDERSTANDING THE SHIFT TO FEDERALISM IN SOMALIA"

Somalia has a long history of political unrest and instability, which has caused the country's government to change many times. Therefore, the change from a centralized government to a federal government was among the most important. Several reasons contributed to this change, including:

1. In a centralized government system, one person or group had too much power and could make decisions without being held accountable or being watched. This resulted in rampant corruption and power abuse, which ultimately led to the marginalization of substantial portions of the people.
2. Constitution suspended: The centralized government of Somalia had suspended the country's constitution, which meant that there were no legal protections in place to protect citizens' rights and liberties. This led to a lawless environment where people had few ways to speak out against abuses of power.
3. A lack of accountability and checks and balances distinguished the centralized government system of Somalia. Because there was no way to make sure that government officials were held responsible for what they did, corruption and power abuse were able to grow.
4. Somalia has a long history of experiencing human rights violations at the hands of their government, giving rise to historical grievances. Because of this, people are still angry and don't trust the central government. This makes people want a federal structure that gives regional governments more freedom.
5. Under a centralized government structure, regions outside of the capital city were frequently neglected. This resulted in discontent among the citizens of these places, who thought that the government was ignoring their needs and concerns.
6. Widespread abuses of civic rights characterized Somalia's centralized government structure. This included arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial executions, which fostered an environment of fear and mistrust among the populace.
7. Somalia's northern region, Somaliland, declared independence in 1991, although it was not recognized as a sovereign state. This made the country fall apart even more and made people want a federal government that would give regions more freedom.
8. In the 1990s, numerous Somali tribes and clans fought for power and resources, resulting in a civil war. This further fragmented the nation and strengthened the desire for a federal government.
9. The fact that the state became a "One City State": The centralized administration in Somalia was heavily focused in Mogadishu, with little representation or influence in the regions. This reinforced the desire for a federal system that would offer greater sovereignty to regions. 
10.  In a centralized government system, most of the power and resources were held by a small group of people. This made many people feel like they were being treated unfairly and unequally, which made them want a federal government with a more fair distribution of power and resources.

Overall, these factors resulted in the federalization of Somalia, as the country's political leaders realized that the centralized government system was unworkable. The federal system was viewed as a means to address these concerns, provide greater protection for individual rights, and ensure that choices affecting the lives of individuals were decided at the local level, where they would have greater direct representation.