THE USE OF ROAD GANGS IN ROAD MAINTENANCE:

CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

PRESENTED BY:
OKUCU ANTHONY TWENY
.

ROAD MTCE GANG SYSTEM
A system where a road maintenance unit
employs a regular gang consisting of members
who are paid monthly wages.

Background
For the last 17 years, district and urban road
maintanence has been carried out through
contracting
Problems
Systematic
Managerial
RMM entails more than 20 interrelated activities
Difficult to describe
Difficult to quantify
Difficulty in measurement for payment purposes
Background
Furthermore:
Only two activities grass cutting and drains
cleaning are attempted
Work is of low quality
Solution:
Direct Labour Method Force Account
Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Modes of road maintenance and road
rehabilitation:
a) manual routine maintenance using road gangs;
b) mechanized routine maintenance using light
equipment;
c) periodic maintenance/re-gravelling using heavy
equipment; and
d) rehabilitation and resealing using heavy equipment.
Road Gang System
Premise
One man-2km per month (gravel roads)
four men -1km of urban tarmac road per month
A headman manages 10 workers
An overseer superintend over a maximum of 5
headmen.
Activities are carried out throughout the year
Such Tasks are not normally achievable

Stakeholders at Municipal/Town
Council Levels
At the Municipal and Town Council level, the main targets
are:
The Town Clerks;
The Municipal/Town Engineer and Inspectors of Works;
Finance and Personnel Officers;
Municipal/Urban Council Planners;
The Mayor/Local III Chairperson;
Secretary for Works; and
Members of the Urban Council Works Committee.
Routine Maintenance Types
Cyclic activities are dependent on
environmental (climatic) conditions e.g.:
vegetation control and
drainage cleaning.
Reactive activities are a response to a
combination of traffic and environmental
effects e.g.:
filling of potholes
removal of road surface corrugations.

Schedule of Activities

Challenges
Payments:
The salary of UGX 100,000/= per month is very small
Tools:
Modalities of procurement for tools demotivate the
workers
Poor SWM:
Disposal of rubbish into the drains
Working Conditions:
Lack of Motivation
Lack of Safety gears
Scarce Machines e.g. tractors


Poor Solid Waste Management
Drains clogged by solid wastes

Lack of Safety Gears

Possible Solutions
SWM
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
LEGISLATION ON
GARBAGE DISPOSAL
TAX LEVIES
STAKEHOLDER
INVOLVEMENT
COLLABORATION
BETWEEN MAIN
COUNCIL AND
DIVISIONS
TOOLS
MODE OF PROVISION
QUICK RESPONSE TO
REQUISITIONS
PROPER MGT OF
PROCURED TOOLS
WORKERS MOTIVATION
FINANCIALLY AND
NON-FINANCIALLY
WELL
MAINTAINED
ROADS