Ebola epidemic fuels tensions in Congo as UDPS official dies after attack

A senior official of the ruling party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has died after being assaulted following his participation in a radio program, where he called for stronger measures to combat the Ebola epidemic.

The attack took place on Sunday in Butembo, in North Kivu province, one of the areas where the Ebola virus continues to spread.

Marie-Célestine Carontois, who served as acting president of the UDPS federal executive committee in Butembo and was also the party’s spokesperson, was attacked by residents of his neighborhood after appearing on a radio program.

During the program, Carontois discussed the measures that needed to be taken to contain the spread of the Ebola virus.

The UDPS branch in Butembo said that the attackers severely beat Carontois, took his personal belongings and set his home on fire. He died shortly afterward from the injuries he sustained.

The authorities have not yet clarified the identities or number of those responsible, or the exact reason behind the attack.

The UDPS described Carontois as “an innocent victim,” linking the killing to his defense of the party’s position on the existence of the Ebola virus and the threat it poses to residents.

The incident occurred at a time when teams working on the ground to combat the epidemic are repeatedly facing violence and a lack of trust from local communities.

A day before the attack, armed men struck a vehicle-washing checkpoint in the Beni area. As a result, at least one person was killed and several others were injured.

Official government figures published on Monday show that confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have surpassed 8,000, while the death toll has reached 3,901.

The outbreak, caused by the Budibugyo strain of the virus, is the largest and deadliest in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, surpassing the 2018–2020 epidemic.

It is also the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the world. During the West Africa epidemic from 2014 to 2016, more than 28,600 people were infected and over 11,000 others died in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.