The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen. Said Chawul Lom, has reportedly cancelled most of the controversial directives recently issued by the Director General of Traffic Police, Maj. Gen. Kon John, following widespread public backlash from motorists and transport operators across the country.
According to police sources, the IGP nullified all the directives except regulations concerning vehicles with tinted windows, clarifying that tinted vehicles will only be allowed under special consideration and subject to official authorization.
The now cancelled traffic orders had triggered public outrage, with many motorists describing them as excessive, impractical, and economically punitive.
The directives sparked heated debate both online and on the streets, prompting calls for intervention by senior security authorities.
Several motorists and civil society voices went further, demanding the removal of Maj. Gen. Kon John from office, accusing the traffic police leadership of issuing policies without adequate public consultation or sensitivity to citizens’ hardships.
Gen. Chawul Lom’s decision is being viewed as a move to restore public confidence in the police force and ease tensions between law enforcement and road users, especially in Juba and other major towns where enforcement had intensified.
Despite the rollback, police authorities emphasized that security concerns remain paramount, particularly regarding the use of heavily tinted vehicles, which officials say can facilitate criminal activity if left unregulated.
The South Sudan National Police Service is expected to issue formal guidelines clarifying the procedures for granting special permission for tinted vehicles in the coming days.
