One person has lost their life, and 12 others sustained injuries in a recent road accident on the Karuma-Pakwach highway.
Denis Tokuru, aged 25, tragically lost his life when the bus he was traveling in, along with several other passengers, collided with a stray elephant and subsequently veered into a ditch. The incident occurred as the Isuzu bus with the registration number UBB 584K, operated by Baby Coach Company, was en route from Kampala to Yumbe district. The collision took place at approximately 7:20 pm on a Tuesday evening, just eight kilometers from the Karuma junction, located within Murchison Falls National Game Park in Nwoya district.
Aswa West Police region spokesperson, David Mudong Ongom, reported that the bus driver attempted to avoid a herd of elephants, inadvertently striking one of them, which led to the bus crashing into a ditch.
The individuals who sustained injuries in the accident have been identified as John Matovu, Najib Kivumbi, Morris Bayo, William Oroch, Hellen Ayikoru, and Margaret Nyuta. Additional passengers injured include Charity Onyungrwo, Santos Komakech, Jude Komakeck, Paska Achieng, Doreen Munguchi, and Razak Abdallah.
According to reports, the traffic police promptly arrived at the scene and facilitated the transfer of the injured individuals to RG Hospital Karuma and nearby clinics for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the body of the deceased, Denis Tokuru, remained trapped beneath the bus at the accident site, awaiting a heavy-duty vehicle to assist with its removal.
The case regarding the road accident has been officially recorded at Nwoya Central Police Station under reference number TAR 584/2023.
In related news, William W Kagoro, the Warden Community Conservation assigned to Murchison Falls National Game Park, confirmed that they have dispatched a team of rangers to locate and assist the injured elephant involved in the collision.