In the midst of the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a senior official from the ruling party was fatally attacked after promoting preventive measures on a radio program.
According to reports from Reuters, Marie-Celestin Karondwa, acting chairman and spokesperson for the ruling party Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) in Butembo, attended a radio program in North Kivu Province on September 27 to call on people to take Ebola prevention measures. After the program, he was assaulted by local residents.
The party stated that the attackers beat Karondwa, robbed him of his belongings, and set fire to his house. He later succumbed to his injuries. The identities, number of attackers, and specific motives are currently unclear.
UDPS indicated that Karondwa was targeted because of his public support for the party’s stance on the Ebola epidemic and his reminder to the public about the virus threat.
This incident occurred at a time when there is still a lack of trust in the Ebola epidemic and preventive measures in the area. On September 26, an armed group attacked a handwashing checkpoint in the nearby Beni territory, resulting in at least one fatality and several injuries.
Data released by the Congolese government on September 28 showed a total of 8,067 reported cases of infection and 3,901 deaths in the current outbreak. The situation remains tense as authorities work to contain the spread of the deadly virus amid challenges of mistrust and violence.