DRC party official killed over Ebola radio talk

A senior member of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s ruling party was beaten to death after taking part in a radio programme to raise awareness about the Ebola outbreak, a party representative said on Monday.

Marie-Celestin Karondwa, acting president of the UDPS party’s federal executive committee in Butembo and a party spokesperson, was attacked by residents in his neighbourhood on Sunday after appearing on a radio programme during which he promoted Ebola prevention measures, the UDPS federation in Butembo said.

The party said the attackers beat Karondwa, looted his belongings and set his house on fire. He later died from his injuries.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, how many people were involved, or what motivated it. The party described Karondwa as “an innocent victim” for defending its position on the existence of Ebola and the threat it poses to the population.

The incident occurred in Butembo, North Kivu province, which has recently emerged as a hotspot in the Ebola outbreak.

The mayor of Butembo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The killing is the latest in a series of attacks linked to mistrust surrounding the Ebola response. On Saturday, armed men attacked a hand-washing checkpoint in nearby Beni territory, killing at least one person and wounding several others, according to a local civil society group.

The Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, had infected 8,067 people and killed 3,901 as of Monday, according to government data.

SOURCE: Reuters