Uganda Revenue Authority impounds 33 South Sudan-registered vehicles in Gulu

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GULU - The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has impounded 33 South Sudan-registered vehicles in Gulu city over failing to adhere to the East African Community customs processes and legislation for the importation of foreign 

URA enforcement manager Simon Tumwesigye, on November 20, 2025, told New Vision Online that the exercise started on Saturday and is still ongoing. The impounded vehicles are parked at the Gulu Industrial Hub located at Layibi Go down cell in Bardege-Layibi division in Gulu city, waiting verification.

He said they are also impounding motorcycles with South Sudan number plates so that the owners can also register and acquire Uganda number plates.

Tumwesigye said these vehicles were exported illegally using the Elegu border in Amuru district, the Oraba border in Arua district, the Madi Opei border in Lamwo and the Afogi border in Moyo district and have a challenge in all parts of the country where Ugandans export vehicles from other countries illegally without registering them.

He said all the vehicles impounded belong to Ugandans, either those who are working in South Sudan or those who take the opportunity of the low taxes in South Sudan to do temporary exportation.

Tumwesigye said so far, one Ugandan working in South Sudan has reclaimed his vehicle and has started the process of registering it with them.  

He said acquiring a Ugandan number plate depends on the type of vehicle and its age.

“We are registering and giving number plates to vehicles which has stayed for only 15 years from the date of manufacture. Any vehicle beyond that, we don’t register them and we send them to the country where it was exported from,” Tumwesigye said.

Tumwesigye explained that most of the vehicles’ owners are importing their vehicles illegally to dodge Ugandan taxes because in South Sudan, taxes are low, and they only pay $20 monthly.

“We encourage Ugandans to register their vehicles and motorcycles with Uganda number plates to avoid dodging taxes”, he remarked.

The law

East Africans can drive private cars across borders and across the entire EAC region, free of charge, for visits no longer than seven days.

The maximum period allowed for one to use a car not registered in the host Partner State is six (6) months, although you will be required to pay $20 (about shillings 70,000) per month as a temporary road licence after the seven-day grace period has elapsed. Anyone using a private car has to fill a form, obtainable at border crossing points or local Revenue Authority office, which grants permission for free access for a week, according to EAC.