UDPS Leader Karondwa Killed After Ebola Radio Talk

Marie-Celestin Karondwa, the acting president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party’s federal executive committee in Butembo, was beaten to death following his appearance on a radio program where he advocated for measures to prevent the spread of Ebola. The attack occurred on Sunday when residents of his neighborhood assaulted him, robbed him, and subsequently set his house on fire.

Karondwa succumbed to the injuries from the attack. The UDPS party condemned the violence, labeling him as “an innocent victim” for defending the party's stance on the Ebola virus disease and its threat to public health.

The assailants' identities and motivations remain unclear. This incident is part of a troubling trend of violence against Ebola response teams and health facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where misinformation about the virus complicates containment efforts.

The current Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, has resulted in 8,067 infections and 3,901 deaths.