Somalia’s ongoing federal experiment has not met popular expectations of ending the Somali predicament, stopping power abuses and stabilising the fragile country. New research shows Somalis consider federalism as an outside imposition and prefer decentralisation instead. This necessitates a serious discussion on the functional model best reflecting the governance needs of the country. Somalia adopted federalism in 2004 and embarked on its implementation in Federalism was seen as an option to end the civil war and ensure the unity of the country. For the international community, the model promised to address the Somali ‘debacle’ and prevent the country from becoming a potential terrorism hub. Almost a decade later, however, scepticism continues regarding its achievements and its applicability to a state that is relatively ethno-culturally homogeneous.