MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) – After more than a decade of anarchy, thousands of Somalis cheered, clapped and waved flowers to welcome lawmakers who flew in from exile in neighboring Kenya to determine whether it was safe to return home.

But before the week was out, shots were fired at the delegation and a foreign journalist was slain, raising doubts about the government’s ability to reclaim Mogadishu from gunmen.

Under international pressure, government officials say they will start returning Feb. 21. But such promises have been made – and broken – before.

“I haven’t seen any government yet, only fighting,” declared Fatuma Abdullahi, a widowed mother of three.

Somalia has had no effective central authority since faction leaders united to oust dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. They then turned on each other, carving this nation of 7 million into a patchwork of clan-based fiefdoms and dueling warlords.

The conflict has killed more than 500,000 people and driven more than 750,000 from their homes.

A transitional government was formed last month in Kenya after protracted negotiations between warlords, clan elders and other leaders. It has no budget, civil service or buildings, and operates from Kenya because of safety concerns at home.

“Please don’t cheat us again,” Abdul Kadir Yusuf, a former prison guard, scolded lawmakers as they toured the city jail last weekend. “Every time they tell us they have reconciled and they fight again.”

There have been more than a dozen attempts to restore order in Somalia, but most only produced more fighting.

This time, all the major clans and warlords are included in a 275-member Parliament and 42-member Cabinet. The process also has the backing of key neighboring countries, including Ethiopia and Djibouti, whose support of selected factions has helped fuel the conflict.

The government’s success will depend on whether members can overcome years of bloodletting to disarm their private armies, form a new national army and police force, and start governing.

The level of trust is low, acknowledged warlord-turned-Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Mohamed Aidid, a bulletproof vest bulging under his shirt as he chatted in the plush club room of Nairobi’s Hilton Hotel.

The son of Mohamed Farah Aidid, whose showdown with U.S. forces in 1993 resulted in the deaths of 18 American troops, believes reconciliation can be achieved through governing together.

But there was little sign of that in Mogadishu as the convoy of visiting lawmakers raced down bomb-cratered and rubble-strewn streets this week, accompanied by dozens of pickup trucks bristling with gunmen.

President Abdullahi Yusuf, a northerner likely concerned about his safety in the southern city of Mogadishu, has appealed for 20,000 foreign peacekeepers. The request caused anger in the former capital, where the deployment of U.S. and United Nations forces in the 1990s sparked some of the worst fighting of the civil war.

Some warlords viewed it as an attempt by rival clans and their foreign allies to undercut their power. Islamic militants, who have also sought to establish influence in the absence of central authority, threatened to attack any foreign forces that deploy.

However, regional diplomats question whether Somali fighters will turn in their weapons to each other. The African Union supports an international force, but officials privately insist it should be limited in size and scope and exclude troops from front-line states.

Warlords aren’t the only ones carrying guns in Somalia. Business and religious leaders also run heavily armed militias. Some gunmen sell their services to anyone who can afford them, or extort money at unofficial checkpoints across the city.

Business leaders say they would be only too happy to disband their militias and start paying taxes if the government can protect their investments. Freelancers might also be persuaded to turn in their guns if there are other jobs for them.

But leaders of Mogadishu’s Islamic courts, the only functioning justice system, appear less willing to give up their private armies. They told government negotiators last weekend they can only support a religious state founded on Islamic law.

The occasional crackle of automatic rifles and blasts of anti-aircraft guns echoed in the background as the two sides met over bottles of Coke and Sprite in a heavily guarded court compound.

“We are all Muslims, so we don’t need any other kind of government here,” said Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, chairman of an association of Islamic courts.

While most religious leaders are prepared to negotiate, analysts say a small number of militants – some of whom are wanted by the United States for suspected terrorist links – could choose to fight.

The shooting of BBC reporter Kate Peyton outside a Mogadishu hotel Wednesday underscored the threat. While it remains unclear who was responsible, many here saw the killing as a message that this government has no real control.

Even if it can establish authority, the government still has no budget with which to set up offices, equip and train security forces, and start work. Officials have asked for $77.3 million – but donors want to see evidence the government can function before committing funds.

A major potential source of revenue is Mogadishu’s now closed sea port. The warlord who controls it is part of the government and has agreed to turn over the port, provided his forces are compensated.

Rival gunmen fired warning shots from across the bay as lawmakers visited the port Tuesday, suggesting others will want a cut of any deal.