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NWOYA DISTRICT, Uganda – Three people are dead and four others injured following a fatal road crash involving a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) vehicle and a crossing elephant along Arua Road inside Murchison Falls National Park.

The incident occurred on the night of May 24, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m. in Nwoya District, according to a police statement released on Monday.

The vehicle, a Toyota Hiace registration number UA 20121AA, was carrying seven URA officials who were traveling from Arua City back to Kampala after completing official duty.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver knocked a crossing elephant, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The impact and subsequent loss of control proved catastrophic.

Three occupants died on the spot. The other four including the driver sustained injuries of varying severity.

Police responded promptly to the scene, rushing the injured victims to Kiryandongo Hospital for initial medical attention. They were later transferred to Kampala for further management.

The bodies of the deceased were conveyed to Anaka Hospital Mortuary, where postmortem examinations will be conducted.

In their statement, Uganda Police Force strongly urged motorists to exercise extreme caution while driving through national parks and wildlife-protected areas especially during night hours.

Drivers were also reminded to strictly observe speed limits to avoid similar tragedies.

Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area, is home to significant wildlife populations including elephants, which frequently cross roads within the park. Night driving in such areas carries heightened risk due to limited visibility and unpredictable animal movement.

This incident marks one of the deadliest wildlife-related road crashes in the park in recent memory.

Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) parliamentary caucus has endorsed Jacob Oboth-Oboth for Speaker of Parliament and Thomas Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker ahead of the formation of the 12th Parliament.

The decision follows a high-level meeting of the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) chaired by President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe, where party leaders reportedly agreed on the two candidates for the influential parliamentary positions.

Oboth-Oboth, the former State Minister for Defence and Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for West Budama South, emerged as the party’s preferred candidate for Speaker after weeks of internal consultations and growing political maneuvering within the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Tayebwa, who has served as Deputy Speaker since 2022, secured the caucus backing to retain his current role in the next Parliament.

The endorsements come after a competitive internal expression-of-interest process that attracted several NRM legislators seeking the party flag for both positions. According to the NRM Electoral Commission chaired by Dr. Tanga Odoi, four legislators had expressed interest in the Speakership while 16 contenders entered the race for Deputy Speaker.

Political observers say the ruling party’s decision effectively positions Oboth-Oboth and Tayebwa as frontrunners for the two offices given the NRM’s dominant majority in Parliament.

The race for parliamentary leadership intensified following uncertainty surrounding the future leadership structure of the 12th Parliament and growing internal competition among regional and political blocs within the ruling party.

Oboth-Oboth’s endorsement had earlier received backing from the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), an organization associated with Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who publicly praised the legislator’s leadership credentials.

Tayebwa has similarly maintained strong support within sections of the party after serving as Deputy Speaker during the 11th Parliament, where he oversaw parliamentary business following the elevation of former Deputy Speaker Anita Among to Speaker after the death of Jacob Oulanyah in 2022.

The internal selection process was not without controversy. Reports indicated that Bukono County MP Persis Namuganza attempted to join the Speakership race but faced eligibility challenges because she is considered an NRM-leaning independent rather than an official NRM flag bearer.

The final endorsement by the NRM caucus is expected to significantly shape the upcoming parliamentary vote for Speaker and Deputy Speaker as the country prepares for the opening of the 12th Parliament.

Political analysts say the leadership choices will play a key role in determining Parliament’s relationship with the Executive, legislative priorities, and internal power dynamics within the ruling party over the next five years.

The race for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer positions for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament has intensified after several ruling party legislators formally expressed interest in the influential parliamentary offices.

According to the NRM Electoral Commission, four candidates have entered the race for the Speakership, while 16 contenders are battling for the Deputy Speaker position ahead of internal party vetting and caucus elections.

The development follows a directive from the ruling party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), which authorized the opening of expressions of interest for NRM members seeking to contest for the top parliamentary leadership positions.

Addressing journalists after the close of the exercise, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Tanga Odoi confirmed that the competition had attracted significant interest from lawmakers across different regions of the country.

Among those who officially expressed interest in the Speakership race are Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth, the Member of Parliament for West Budama Central, Florence Asiimwe Akiiki, the Woman MP for Masindi District, and Alioni Yorke Odria, the MP for Aringa South Constituency in Yumbe District.

Reports also indicated that Persis Namuganza attempted to join the race but faced eligibility questions because she is considered an NRM-leaning independent rather than an official NRM flagbearer in Parliament. Dr. Tanga Odoi said the matter would ultimately be handled by the party’s top leadership.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speakership race has attracted an unusually large field of candidates, including incumbent Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and several senior politicians, ministers, and regional representatives.

Other notable contenders for the Deputy Speaker slot include Lydia Wanyoto, Henry Tumukunde, Jackson Kafuuzi, Catherine Lamwaka, and Rose Obiga among others.

The internal contest comes at a politically significant moment as the ruling party seeks to shape the leadership of the incoming 12th Parliament following the 2026 general elections.

According to Dr. Tanga Odoi, all aspirants are expected to undergo vetting by the NRM Central Executive Committee before the final names are forwarded to the party’s parliamentary caucus for endorsement.

He noted that the CEC retains the authority to either shortlist candidates or allow all qualified aspirants to proceed to the caucus vote.

The NRM, which holds a dominant majority in Parliament, is widely expected to determine the eventual occupants of both offices once internal party processes are completed.

Political analysts say the race reflects growing internal competition within the ruling party as different factions and regional blocs position themselves for influence in the next Parliament.

The Speakership and Deputy Speakership positions remain among the most powerful offices in Uganda’s political system, overseeing parliamentary business, legislative debates, and interactions between Parliament and the Executive.