Three officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) died on the spot and four others sustained critical injuries after their vehicle struck a crossing elephant within Murchison Falls National Park.
The fatal night crash occurred at approximately 8:00 p.m. along the Karuma-Arua highway in Nwoya District. Traffic police identified the involved automobile as a Toyota Hiace registration number UA 20121AA. The vehicle carried seven URA staff members who were returning to Kampala following an official field deployment in Arua City. Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver rammed into the massive mammal before losing total control of the vehicle.
The public relations officer for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, SP Michael Kananura, confirmed that three occupants instantly dead.
“Three (03) people died and four (04) others sustained injuries following a fatal road crash involving motor vehicle registration number UA 20121AA (Toyota Hiace) & a crossing elephant,” SP Kananura stated.
Emergency response teams rushed to the scene to rescue the trapped passengers. First responders evacuated the four injured survivors, including the driver, to Kiryandongo Hospital for immediate stabilization. Medical personnel later transferred the casualties to Kampala for specialized clinical management. Meanwhile, rescue teams conveyed the bodies of the deceased to Anaka Hospital Mortuary for postmortem examinations.
Wildlife officials noted that animal crossings become highly frequent along the tarmac corridor during evening hours. The Uganda Police Force issued an immediate directive to all commercial and private drivers to adjust their transit speeds inside protected conservation areas. SP Kananura emphasized that motorists must respect wildlife warning signs to prevent catastrophic collisions.
“Motorists are strongly urged to exercise extreme caution while driving through national parks and wildlife-protected areas especially during night hours and to strictly observe speed limits to avoid such incidents,” SP Kananura added.
