At least one person has died and several others injured in a tragic road accident after a passenger bus collided with an elephant near Karuma along the Kampala–Gulu highway in Kiryandongo District.
The incident which occurred on the night of Sunday 24th involved a Makome Bus, registration number UAR 339 M, which was traveling from Gulu to Kampala when it rummed into an elephant on a stretch of road that cuts through Murchison Falls National Park, an area known for frequent wildlife crossings.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) spokesperson, Bashir Hangi, confirmed the accident and revealed that a team had been dispatched to track down the elephant to establish its condition.
“This is a very unfortunate incident. We are working closely with the police and other agencies to assess the situation,” Hangi said.
The stretch around Karuma Bridge is a known accident hotspot because the highway passes directly through Murchison Falls National Park, home to elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and other wildlife.
Data from UWA shows that similar collisions have occurred in the past. At least three separate accidents involving buses and elephants were reported in the same area, prompting calls for stronger safety measures in 2024.
Hangi urged motorists to exercise extreme caution, especially when driving in wildlife-rich areas, reiterating warnings about the dangers of speeding on these roads.
Meanwhile, the UWA team is now actively searching for the elephant to assess its condition.
