Determining the Consistency in Implementing Rural RoadTransport Development using PEST Analysis: The Caseof Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Abstract

It cannot go unnoticed that the majority of poor people in the world live in rural areas where the level of public infrastructure especially roads is significantly low. One author referred rural transport as the step-child of infrastructure provision in developing countries and points out that nobody really feels responsible, but everybody claims it being of utmost importance. The inadequate roads and poor road access put the high cost of transportation; reduce ability to use access high quality inputs; limit the uses of local markets to the sales of their produces, the purchase of consumer goods and opportunities for off-farm employment. Poor road access has put nevertheless constraints for rural poor in terms of access to other social infrastructures such as education and health facilities (1). Many researches have been done, and most if not all, consider the government and agencies' facet rather than the main users whom for this case are the rural community. This paper considers the down-up approach using PEST analysis to obtain the real picture from the rural community public point of view in terms of the different aspects of rural road development and their influence. The underlying objective is to determine the effect of road development in terms of politics, economics, social, and technological factors of the rural community. A case study was carried in one of the regions in Tanzania, namely Kilimanjaro region and questionnaires were randomly distributed to the selected population. Data was analyzed using the Lindlof's framework and thereafter information and the obtained data were interpreted using the quasi-judicial method. It is observed that lack of transparency and political interest are the cause of an imbalance with the road project implementation thus widening the disparity in rural and urban income. Lack of education on government policies for infrastructure development and poor communication technology are other factors that result to the limping of a given rural society into the desired benefits of mobility and accessibility. Social attitude for such development is observed to be positive though, politics again plays part into this. Finally recommendations are given and areas for further research suggested.