Purpose of the Assessment
The assessment established an evidence-based understanding of the functionality, inclusivity and legitimacy of district councils and administrations, while identifying institutional and technical capacity gaps that require targeted support.
The assessment was designed to provide a practical foundation for locally owned governance roadmaps, capacity-building priorities and stronger linkages between district institutions, communities, state authorities and development partners.
Assessment Scope
Governance & Institutional Capacity
Functionality of district councils and administrations, institutional systems, leadership, planning and coordination.
Service Delivery & Infrastructure
Availability, quality, equity and sustainability of essential services and local infrastructure.
Public Financial Management
Revenue, budgeting, financial controls, reporting, accountability and opportunities for participatory budgeting.
Inclusivity & Representation
Participation and meaningful influence of women, youth, minorities and persons with disabilities.
Stakeholder Engagement & Linkages
Relationships and dialogue between local authorities, communities, civil society, private sector and state institutions.
Peacebuilding & Reconciliation
Existing local peace mechanisms, their inclusivity and opportunities to connect reconciliation with governance and service delivery.
Methodology
HURMA Consulting applied a participatory mixed-methods approach combining qualitative assessment, community perspectives and institutional analysis.
- Desk review of relevant project and governance materials.
- Key informant interviews (KIIs).
- Focus group discussions (FGDs).
- Community surveys.
- Direct observation.
- Participatory validation workshops.
- Analytical and comparative assessment across the five core dimensions.
Participatory Governance & Stakeholder Engagement Workshops
Workshops brought together district councils, MoIFAR representatives, civil society organisations, elders, religious leaders, women, youth and private-sector stakeholders to validate findings, prioritise needs and co-create practical governance and capacity-building frameworks.
Key Findings
Bahdo and Wisil require foundational institutional support. Galkayo and Abudwak have functioning councils but face gaps in enforcement, coordination and technical skills. Councils have legitimacy but limited resources and systems.
Bahdo and Wisil rely heavily on community-driven projects. Galkayo has wider infrastructure but inequitable access and inconsistent quality. Abudwak benefits from service partnerships but has weak monitoring.
PFM was identified as the weakest area. Systems are informal in Bahdo and Wisil; Abudwak has limited resources and weak reporting; Galkayo has revenue potential alongside transparency and accountability risks.
Women, youth, minorities and persons with disabilities participate, but meaningful influence in decision-making remains uneven. Stronger leadership opportunities and dedicated inclusion mechanisms are needed.
Engagement mechanisms are often informal, ad hoc or project-based. Permanent advisory and dialogue mechanisms, together with effective community feedback loops, were identified as priorities.
Elders and religious leaders remain trusted actors, but mechanisms are frequently ad hoc or donor/project driven. Greater inclusion and permanent peace structures are needed to connect reconciliation with local governance and service delivery.
Community-Validated Priorities
- Governance and institutional capacity.
- Service delivery and infrastructure.
- Public financial management and accountability.
- Inclusivity and representation.
- Peacebuilding and reconciliation.
- State–local government linkages.
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Actionable Recommendations
Leadership & Planning
Strengthen leadership, planning, bylaws, operational manuals and performance monitoring, supported through MoIFAR mentoring.
Service Delivery
Undertake service audits and introduce citizen scorecards to improve responsiveness, equity and accountability.
PFM & Accountability
Improve bookkeeping, budgeting and reporting; introduce public budget hearings, disclosure and ICT-supported financial tracking.
Inclusive Participation
Promote women and youth leadership, minority inclusion, disability inclusion, advisory forums and mentorship mechanisms.
Civic Dialogue
Establish regular civic dialogue and annual forums, strengthen CSO partnerships and create structured community feedback systems.
Peacebuilding
Strengthen mediation and reconciliation mechanisms through permanent peace committees, inclusive dialogue and locally owned peace charters.
Key Deliverables
- Comprehensive capacity assessment across four target districts.
- Participatory stakeholder engagement and validation workshops.
- District-level identification of institutional and technical capacity gaps.
- Community-validated governance and capacity-building priorities.
- Actionable recommendations for district councils, state authorities, federal institutions and development partners.
- Proposed implementation roadmap to guide follow-up capacity strengthening and locally owned governance improvements.
Expected Contribution
The assessment provides a practical evidence base for strengthening inclusive local governance, improving institutional performance and service delivery, strengthening accountability and participation, and supporting locally owned peacebuilding and reconciliation processes in the four target districts.