Cars bearing outdated South Sudanese registration plates on Kenyan roads will be impounded by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
This follows changes in numbering system by South Sudan. The country has nullified number plates series starting with CE, EE, SSJS, UNS, WS and NBGS, replacing them with nationalised country code SSD as the only recognised code.
In a memo dated November 7, 2017 from NTSA Operations Manager, Bora Guyo, the transport authority bans number plate series CE, EE, SSJS, UNS, WS and NBGS.
“This is to therefore direct you to ensure the vehicles with nullified number plate series are impounded for total compliance,” he said.
The nullification means that owners of the six number plates, including those residing and driving cars with such in Kenya, are expected to comply and change to the new number plate system.
Since 2005, South Sudan has had varied registration codes for its ten states until March 2017.
The rise of such foreign-registered vehicles at border towns and across the country has been attributed to the evasion of higher taxation and age limits on car imports in Kenya. Taxes in Kenya include 25 per cent (duty), 20 per cent (excise duty) and 16 (VAT). Importers equally have to pay 2.25 per cent (Import declaration fee) motor vehicles registration fee and Railway Development Levy.