Major General Kon John Akot, Director of the national Traffic Police. (Photo: Courtesy).

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The Director General of the Traffic Police has issued a new directive banning right-hand-drive (RHD) vehicles, tinted windows, and specific configurations of public transport. Motorists across the country have been given seven days to comply before strict enforcement begins.

In a statement seen by Eye Radio, Major General Kon John Akot issued the following restrictions are now in effect:

• Tinted Windows: All motorists must remove stickers from tinted windows or replace dark glass with clear glass to ensure full visibility from the outside.

• Right-Hand Drive (RHD): Owners of RHD vehicles are required to convert their steering wheels to the left side.

• Sliding Doors: Public transport vehicles (minibuses) must ensure that sliding doors are located on the right side of the vehicle.

General Akot stated that these measures enforce a 2019 Cabinet resolution and a 2020 Ministry of Trade and Industry order regarding vehicle and minibus specifications.

The Traffic Police Chief emphasized that enforcement will be rigorous once the grace period expires.

Motorists are urged to use the next week to make the necessary mechanical and aesthetic changes to their vehicles to avoid penalties or impoundment.

The timing of this directive coincides with growing friction between the Ministry of Interior and the Transitional National Legislative Assembly.

On Tuesday, lawmakers voiced concerns that several recent traffic measures—including new charges for driving tests and changes to the renewal periods for logbooks and licenses—violate existing laws and were introduced without proper legal authority.

As a result, Parliament plans to summon the Minister of Interior to explain these directives. Despite this legislative pushback, the Traffic Police department maintains that the current ban on RHD and tinted vehicles is rooted in previously established government resolutions.