Three people, one elephant die in bus accident
People gathered at the accident scene where KKT bus knocked an elephant, killing three people on spot. Courtesy photo
Kiryandongo
Three people and an elephant have been reported dead following a motor accident along Kampala- Gulu highway.
A speeding bus owned by KK Travellers Bus Company on Wednesday morning knocked an elephant that was crossing the road before overturning several times, killing two passengers.
The bus registration number UAM 829C was travelling from Arua to Kampala when the accident occurred.
According to police, the driver, Musa Aliningira and the passengers died on the spot.
The Midwestern regional police spokesperson Mr Julius Hakiza said ten passengers sustained multiple injuries and were taken to Kiryandongo Hospital in a critical condition.
The accident occurred at about 2am on a stretch between Kigumba Town Council and Karuma town in Kiryandongo District.
Karuma has a wildlife reserve with various species of protected animals. On one side of the road is a protected area while the other is inhabited by people.
Mr Hakiza said the elephant that sustained injuries died about one and half kilometres away from the accident scene.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) publicist Mr Jossy Muhangi said the accident occurred outside the Karuma wildlife protected area.
“When we learnt of the incident, UWA staff and police rushed to the scene and recovered the elephant tusks from the carcass,” he said.
He added that the carcass will be either buried or left to decompose in a forest.
According to Mr Muhangi, UWA cannot give the wild meat to communities since it may tempt them into poaching if they find it tasty.
He cautioned passengers and motorists driving in wildlife protected areas to be cautious about their speed.
“Wildlife knows no boundaries. They [animals] get tempted by crops in adjacent communities and move at night into areas they feel are secure for them,” he added.
He said while the recommended speed in protected areas is 40 kilometres per hour, the scene of the accident was outside the protected area.
