Congo Ruling Party Official Killed by Mob After Promoting Ebola Prevention on Radio
Story By Staff Reporter
Attackers beat a senior member of Congo’s ruling party to death after he promoted Ebola awareness on a radio programme, a party representative said Monday.
The attack happened Sunday in Butembo, North Kivu province. Butembo has recently become a hotspot in the ongoing outbreak.
Marie-Celestin Karondwa was acting president of the UDPS party’s federal executive committee in Butembo. He also served as party spokesperson. Residents of his neighbourhood attacked him after he went on air to promote Ebola prevention measures, the UDPS federation in Butembo said in a statement.
The party said the attackers beat him, looted his belongings and burned down his house. Nobody has said who carried out the attack, how many people took part or why they did it. The party called Karondwa “an innocent victim” for defending its position that Ebola exists and threatens the public.
Karondwa died from his injuries, the party said.
Butembo’s mayor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The killing is the latest in a series of attacks on Ebola response teams. It points to deep and lasting mistrust among local communities.
On Saturday, armed men attacked a hand-washing checkpoint in nearby Beni territory. They killed at least one person and wounded several others, a local civil society group reported.
Government data released Monday shows the outbreak, which authorities declared on May 15, has infected 8,067 people and killed 3,901.
Reporting based on original coverage by Reuters.
