Three URA officials were killed in an accident after their van knocked an elephant. The three officials of tax collector Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) were travelling in a white passenger van which hit an elephant near Karuma on the Kampala-Gulu Highway.
Animals normally cross the road around the area as it is near the Murchison Falls National Park.
Reports indicate that the elephant suddenly entered the road and the van knocked it in the evening of May 23, 2026.
After sustaining injuries, the elephant was enraged and caused the vehicle to overturn, with the three URA officials, including tax educator Robert Wamala Lumanyika inside.
Traffic Police Statement on Accident
“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.
The crash occurred on the night of 24th May 2026 at approximately 8:00 p.m. along the Arua road within Murchison Falls National Park in Nwoya District.
According to preliminary investigations the driver of the Toyota Hiace which was carrying seven (07) officials from the URA travelling from Arua city back to Kampala after official duty knocked a crossing elephant and subsequently lost control of the vehicle.
Three occupants died on the spot while four others including the driver sustained injuries. Police responded promptly and rushed the injured victims to Kiryandongo Hospital for medical attention before they were later transferred to Kampala for further management.
The bodies of the deceased were conveyed to Anaka Hospital Mortuary pending postmortem examinations.
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 Michael Kananura, Traffic Police Spokesperson
Road accidents are a serious public health concern in Uganda. According to the 2025 Police Annual Crime Report, 322,441 traffic cases were recorded in 2025, compared to 426,432 in 2024, marking a 24.4 per cent decrease.
The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety also registered 26,044 road crashes in 2025, with  4,602 of these being fatal, 13,563 serious, and 7,879 minor.
Despite the drop in overall traffic cases, road accidents increased by 3.7 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024. Serious crashes rose by 3.3 per cent, from 13,134 in 2024 to 13,563 in 2025. Fatal crashes increased by 3.8 percent, from 4,434 to 4,602, while minor crashes went up by 4.5 per cent, from 7,539 in 2024 to 7,879 in 2025.
Recently, a bus accident killed six people while a taxi killed six wedding guests, as reported Here and There.
Other recent accidents include one where 11 people were killed on Masaka Road, one in Kiryandongo and another involving a Tausi bus, as reported Here, There and There.
Other recent terrible accidents involving private cars and taxis, included one in Kabwohe where six people coming from an overnight were knocked dead, one that killed an LCV chairperson, and another that killed eight people in Kiruhura, as reported Here, There and Over There.
