ABSTRACT
Citizen participation is vital for enhancing trust in local government by ensuring citizens’
voices are heard in decision-making processes. However, most studies focus on central
government trust, with limited research in the African context. Therefore, this study
aims to explore the impact of citizen participation on public trust in local government
in Somalia through the mediating effect of perceived local government performance. A
quantitative research design was employed using an online survey to collect data from
425 residents of Mogadishu. A covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM)
approach was used to analyse the data, testing the hypothesised relationships and
mediation effects. Citizen participation positively influences both public trust in local
government and perceptions of local government performance. Additionally, perceptions
of local government performance significantly mediate the relationship between citizen
participation and public trust in local government. This study fills a gap in the literature
by providing empirical evidence from a post-war setting, demonstrating the crucial role
of citizen participation in enhancing trust in local government through improved
perceived local government performance. Local governments should promote active
citizen engagement and ensure their performance meets public expectations to foster
greater public trust, which is essential for effective governance and sustainable
development in post-conflict regions like Mogadishu.