Somaliland: Public Utilities ministry Launches New Electronic Driving License

Hargeisa, 30 June 2013 (SDN) – Somalilanders will soon be carrying new, redesigned, high-tech driver’s licences that will be harder to alter, forge or obtain under different identities than current licences, outgoing minister of public utilities Mohamed Abdi Habsade announced today as part of government’s latest efforts to prevent road accidents. The new driving licence is an electronic and credit-card sized driving licences

Outgoing minister of public utilities Habsade has said during the launching of the new driving licence that the new driving licence will provide strong protection against identity theft and fraud, and help prevent prohibited drivers from obtaining licences in false names.

Prior the introduction of the new driving license many  people used to get their licences through dubious means, a situation that has led to wrong people acquiring licences for which they are not qualified to hold.

Somaliland’s road accident record is strangely high among developing countries. In last year alone, Somaliland recorded 2,875 motor accidents. According to the Police Traffic Unit during this period, there were 150 fatalities and 1, 440injury cases.

SDN Hargeisa