Three URA officials die after vehicle hits elephant in Murchison Falls

Three Uganda Revenue Authority officials died and four other people were injured when a Toyota Hiace struck an elephant inside Murchison Falls National Park, turning a routine return trip from Arua City into a deadly crash on a protected road corridor.

Police said the accident happened at about 8:00 p.m. on 24 May 2026 along the Arua road in Nwoya District, when the vehicle, registration number UA 20121AA, hit a crossing elephant and the driver lost control. The van was carrying seven URA officials who were traveling back to Kampala after official duty in Arua City. Three occupants died on the spot, while four others, including the driver, were injured.

The injured were first taken to Kiryandongo Hospital before being transferred to Kampala for further treatment. The bodies of the dead were taken to Anaka Hospital Mortuary pending postmortem examinations. Uganda Wildlife Authority said it had launched an investigation into the crash and urged motorists to drive cautiously through protected areas, especially at night, when wildlife frequently crosses the roads.

URA identified two of the dead as Robert Lumanyika Wamala and Moses Adola. The third victim was a staff member of the National Curriculum Development Centre. URA Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi visited the injured staff in hospital as the agency mourned the loss of colleagues in the crash.

The collision has thrown fresh light on a persistent safety problem in Murchison Falls National Park, where wildlife and traffic share narrow roads used by tourists, workers and long-distance travelers. In 2024, UWA said an average of two to three animals were being killed daily by speeding vehicles on the Kichumbanyobo-Tangi route, and another estimate put the toll at about three animals a day inside the park. Park authorities and tourism stakeholders have warned that congestion, speeding, pollution and wildlife deaths are eroding conservation gains in Uganda’s largest national park.