Full Breakdown
Elephant Collision in Murchison Falls National Park Leaves Three URA Staff Dead, Four Injured
5/25/2026, 10:29:45 PM
Fatal Collision in Murchison Falls National Park
On the evening of 24 May 2026, a Toyota Hiace van carrying seven Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officials collided with an elephant on the Gulu-Kampala (Pakwach-Karuma) highway inside Murchison Falls National Park. The impact caused the driver to lose control, the vehicle to overturn, and the elephant to charge the wreckage. Three occupants – tax educator Robert Wamala Lumanyika and colleagues Andrew Lubega and Adhora Moses Ondong – died at the scene; four others, including the driver, sustained injuries and were transferred to hospitals in Kiryandongo and Kampala.
Rising Human-Wildlife Conflict in Uganda
Human-wildlife confrontations have increased as expanding communities encroach on protected areas. Road accidents are common nationwide, and wildlife crossings are frequent in Murchison Falls National Park, especially at night when visibility is reduced.
Key Individuals and Agencies
- Robert Wamala Lumanyika – URA tax educator, former WBS Television journalist.
- Andrew Lubega and Adhora Moses Ondong – URA staff members.
- Simon Tumwesigye – URA northern-region manager.
- Michael Kananura – Police spokesman.
- Uganda Police Force and Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) – responding agencies.
Incident Data
- Fatalities: 3 persons.
- Injured: 4 persons.
- Vehicle occupants: 7 URA officials.
- Time: approximately 8:00 PM.
- Location: about 10 km from Karuma Checkpoint, within the park’s Arua-road section.
- UWA 2024 estimate: ? 3 wildlife deaths per day from speeding vehicles in the park.
Official Statements and Responses
The Uganda Police Force urged motorists to observe speed limits and exercise extreme caution, especially at night, in protected areas. UWA reiterated its advisory for drivers to travel cautiously where wild animals frequently cross roads. URA’s northern-region manager, Simon Tumwesigye, confirmed the deaths, described the elephant’s post-collision charge, and noted the team had been conducting tax-education outreach for teachers prior to the accident.
Criticism and Opposition
Observers link the surge in wildlife-vehicle collisions to expanding human settlements near park boundaries and to insufficient road-safety infrastructure within protected zones. The pattern underscores calls for stronger enforcement of speed limits and improved signage in wildlife corridors.
On-the-Ground Accounts
UWA rangers reported that after being struck, the elephant became aggressive, charged the vehicle, and contributed to its overturning. Video footage showed the damaged van overturned on the roadside, with local residents and motorists assisting the injured before police arrived.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
- No official information on the elephant’s condition was released.
- Sources differ on the vehicle description (van, minibus, Toyota Hiace).
- At the time of some reports, URA had not issued a formal statement, though its regional manager later provided comments.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Motorists travelling through Protected Areas are strongly advised to drive cautiously, as wild animals frequently cross the roads,” — Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA)
- “Police responded promptly and rushed the injured victims to Kiryandongo Hospital for medical attention,” — Michael Kananura, Police Spokesman
- “Three occupants died on the spot while four others including the driver sustained injuries,” — Uganda Police Force (X post)
- “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,” — Uganda Police Force (X post)
- “Yes, three of our staff died, and then four survived,” — Simon Tumwesigye, URA Northern-Region Manager
Outlook
Authorities have reiterated calls for heightened driver vigilance and stricter speed enforcement within park boundaries. Ongoing investigations will assess the circumstances of the collision and explore measures to reduce future human-wildlife road incidents.
