New changes in obtaining driving license

The Minister of Transport (Mint), Robert Nkili, has signed two new documents in obtaining driving license.

The conditions are for the creation, opening and operation of a driving school, (19 articles) and also on obtaining, suspension and withdrawal of driving licences (53 articles).

The notice, which was signed on September 8, will now make it difficult to obtain a driver’s license just by a phone call; if this reform is implemented and respected by all. But overall, said a source at Mint, it has a lot to do with clarifying the process for the actors involved in the driving schools and licence applicants.

It was stated in these two orders that only people regularly trained in an approved driving school can take part in a driving test. With this reform, a driving school will not present candidates in the examination centre of the Department where it is installed.

With regards to the candidates, they can apply for the permit of a single category per exam session. The list of applicants must be displayed in the examination centres at least one week before the date scheduled for the session concerned.

After the examination and practical phase, the unsuccessful candidate loses the benefit of eligibility after three consecutive sessions. With regard to the members of the jury, the texts stated that no person shall be a member, if he holds a license dating five years back, of the category for which it is required. The results of a review session must be published before the next. The driving fraudulently or improperly obtained licence can be cancelled by a decision from Mint.

With regard to driving schools, the rate at which they are being opened is alarming. There should be the final approval from the Ministry of supervision. Each driving school, opened for operation, should in the same enclosure have at least a room for lectures and an administrative office. It must respect the content of the curriculum set by the Ministry.

There will now be a specification used to ensure their control. In this register also, the text indicated that vehicles for learning must now be registered and provided with a certificate of technical inspection. A breach of these provisions may result in a suspension or definitive withdrawal of the approval of the driving school.

All these reforms and other aspects are contained in the orders signed by Minister Robert Nkili last week. It is now left for the effectiveness, follow up and implementation.