Kenyan Politicians Among Four Dead in Uganda Road Crash

A fatal car accident on the Moroto-Napak road in Uganda has claimed the lives of four individuals, including two Kenyan politicians, Philemon Lotudo and Elijah Lopuke.

The incident occurred at Tapaach and involved a black SUV, reportedly associated with the West Pokot County government. West Pokot County Commissioner Khaliff Abdullahi has confirmed that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the accident. Philemon Lotudo was a previous contender for the Kapenguria MP seat in the 2022 elections. Elijah Lopuke recently secured the UDA chairmanship for Alale Ward in West Pokot.

The two other victims are identified as Jackson Kariwoi and Ben Ikong. Kariwoi and Ikong died at the scene, while Lotudo passed away en route to the hospital. The fourth victim died while receiving medical care. Their bodies have been transported to Cherangany Mortuary in Kitale. Sook Ward MCA Martin Komongiro survived the crash and is currently receiving treatment in Eldoret. The group was part of a delegation accompanying Pokot South MP David Pkosing on a cross-border tour aimed at fostering collaboration between Kenya and Uganda.

The repatriation of the victims' bodies is being coordinated between Kenyan and Ugandan authorities. In other news, a Kenya-registered cargo plane crashed approximately 24 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu on Saturday, March 22, at around 5:43 pm local time, resulting in the deaths of all five people on board. The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) confirmed the incident on Sunday, stating that the aircraft, operated by Trident Aviation Ltd., was a DHC-5D Buffalo with serial number 109 and registration 5Y-RBA.

The plane was en route to Aden Abdulle International Airport (HCMM) after departing from Dhobley (HCDB), where it had delivered supplies to African Union forces. Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft experienced mechanical problems in Dhobley on Saturday, which were reportedly fixed before its departure, according to the Somaliland Standard.
The SCAA is conducting a thorough investigation in collaboration with the government to determine the cause of the accident and has promised to release more information as it becomes available.

Government agencies and partners are currently on-site for search and rescue operations. Initial reports indicated that four Kenyan nationals were on board. The SCAA has not yet released the identities of those who perished.