URA staff die after vehicle hits elephant on Kampala–Gulu highway

Three employees of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) were killed in a road crash on May 24 at around 8pm after the vehicle they were travelling in collided with an elephant near Karuma in Kiryandongo district.

The crash occurred along the Kampala–Gulu highway close to Murchison Falls National Park, a stretch of road where motorists frequently encounter wildlife crossing between protected areas.

Authorities said the URA vehicle hit an elephant that had wandered onto the road, resulting in a violent collision that left three occupants dead. The vehicle was extensively damaged in the crash.

Police and officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority were dispatched to the scene to manage traffic and begin investigations into the incident.

The names of the deceased had not been released by press time as authorities sought to inform their relatives.

Conservation authorities have long warned that elephants and other large animals regularly cross the highway, particularly during the night and early morning hours.

The Kampala–Gulu highway is one of Uganda’s most important transport routes, carrying thousands of passengers and cargo vehicles between the capital and the northern region every day.

However, sections passing near wildlife reserves have remained vulnerable to animal-related crashes.

Police said investigations into Monday’s crash were ongoing and a detailed report would be issued once inquiries are complete.