Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has warned in a memo dated November 7 that it will impound cars bearing out dated South Sudanese registration plates on the country’s roads, the Africa Review reports.
South Sudan nullified number plates series starting with CE, EE, SSJS, UNS, WS and NBGS and replaced them with nationalised country code SSD as the only recognised code implying 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.
“This is to therefore direct you to ensure the vehicles with nullified number plate series are impounded for total compliance,” said NTSA Enforcement Operation Manager, Bora Guyo, in a memo Wednesday.
Since 2005, South Sudan has had varied registration codes for its ten states until March 2017 when the government introduced a unified country code, the SSD series.
The NTSA officers have been directed to enforce the directive and impound vehicles bearing the nullified plates.
There have been a number of flashy vehicles bearing South Sudanese number plates in Kenya since many of the country’s nationals reside and do business in the country. Another reason to why there has been an increase in 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.
Taxation on vehicles in Kenya includes 25% (duty), 20% (excise duty) and 16% (VAT). In addition importers have to pay 2.25% (Import declaration fee) motor vehicles registration fee and Railway Development Levy.
There is also a limitation in Kenya to only import cars manufactured in the past eight years.
