Improved road network to ease access to social services and overall economic development : A case study of Kyanyawara and Kiko Wards by filling the Mburru Swamp in Kiko Town Council, Kabarole District

Abstract

This report was written to find out whether improved road network can lead to significant increase in access to social services and enhanced economic development. A case study was taken from Kiko Town in KabaroleDistrictwhere a swamp was raised to connect villages of Makobyo, Kanyawara, Kasojo and Ibura on the opposite side of the Central Business District to Rwengaju and Mburru on the side of the Central Business District, with the idea of connecting two adjacent collinear roads but with dead ends initiated, planned for and finally executed. The reason was to ensure that there is easy movement that saves time and money as people move from either side, as well as seeing more structures built for both commercial and residential functions, so there is increased human activity along the same stretch in particular and the Central Business District in general. The major problems to the area were: First of all, there were steep slopes in Makobyo and Rwengaju which would not allow motorized transport to take place, which required that they are cut to reduced levels. Secondly, these slopes were joined by a swamp of an average of 400mm wide which was making it hard even for pedestrians to cross from one village to the other, that it required to fill this swamp to allow movement. The hills on both sides of Mburru and Makobyo which share the swamp boundaries, were cut to reduced levels to allow movement of traffic from either side. The cut soils were used to fill the swamp, so as to allow traffic to cross the swamp and also to let water flow in a streamlined manner.People of Makobyo, Mburru and the neighboring villages are able to access service centers that are much concentrated in the central business district of Kiko town council.