Funeral held for DRC politician who died after attack linked by party to Ebola response

A funeral was held in Butembo on Wednesday for Marie-Celestin Karondwa, a local politician who died from injuries sustained in an attack at his home, according to his political party and reports from the city.

Karondwa was attacked on Sunday and later died at a local hospital. The Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDSP), which leads the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s government, said he was beaten after defending the government’s response to Ebola during a radio broadcast.

The identity and number of the attackers remain unknown, and the motive has not been independently established. The specific comments Karondwa made on the radio have also not been disclosed.

Party says politician defended Ebola response

At the funeral, Karondwa’s granddaughter, Sagesse Kavira, told The Associated Press: “They beat him up and then set the house on fire.”

The UDSP described Karondwa as “an innocent victim for having defended the party’s position on the existence of the Ebola virus disease … and the threat it poses to the population”.

Butembo, in North Kivu province, has been described as an Ebola hotspot. The killing followed a series of attacks on health workers and other responders involved in efforts to contain the disease.

Outbreak complicated by mistrust and conflict

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is dealing with what has been described as its 17th and deadliest Ebola outbreak. More than 8,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths have been recorded in the current outbreak, according to the source report.

The World Health Organization said the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment.

The WHO has reported Ebola in seven provinces: Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Sud Ubangi and Tshopo. Ituri remains the most affected province, according to the organisation.

The government has sought to combat the outbreak through a village-based approach. However, some residents have dismissed Ebola as a hoax, resisted response efforts or avoided reporting symptoms because of disbelief or shame. Responders have said scepticism has made their work more difficult, particularly in remote communities and newly emerging hotspots facing shortages of medical supplies and health workers.

Mistrust has also been difficult to overcome in rebel-held areas of eastern DRC, where conflict and human rights abuses have contributed to suspicion of outsiders and state authorities.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described conditions in the east as “a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict”, saying the situation was hampering the response.