A senior member of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s ruling party was beaten to death after appearing on a radio programme to raise awareness about the Ebola outbreak, his party said on Monday.
Marie-Celestin Karondwa, acting president of the UDPS federal executive committee in Butembo, North Kivu province, was attacked by residents in his neighbourhood on Sunday after speaking on radio about Ebola prevention measures, the party said.
According to the UDPS federation in Butembo, the attackers beat Karondwa, looted his belongings and set his house on fire.
The party said Karondwa later died from his injuries.
It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, how many people were involved or what prompted the violence.
The UDPS described Karondwa as an “innocent victim” for defending the party’s position on the existence of Ebola and warning about the threat it posed to the population.
The mayor of Butembo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Ebola response efforts, highlighting continued mistrust among some communities affected by the outbreak.
On Saturday, armed men attacked a hand-washing checkpoint in nearby Beni territory, killing at least one person and injuring several others, according to a local civil society group.
The Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, has infected 8,067 people and killed 3,901, according to government figures released on Monday.
