Journalist Joël Musavuli murdered in Ituri, DRC

Joël Musavuli

ITURI, DR Congo

A journalist was murdered in Ituri, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday.

Mr Joël Musavuli, who was the director of Radio RTCB/ Biakato was killed in Mambasa territory, some 100 kilometers west of Bunia.

According to one of his colleagues from a different media house Musavuli was murdered by armed men.

This is the second journalist to be killed in eastern DRC in less than ten days.

Last week, Héritier Magayane was killed in North Kivu by armed men.

Musavuli and his wife were attacked at their home by machete wielding men.

The journalist was hacked to death while his wife, who was slashed in the throat, is fighting for her life in the Intensive Care Unit.

Musavuli’s colleagues said he had been receiving death threats. 

Journalists in the region have asked the government to pursue the killers.

They called on the government to address insecurity in eastern DRC and ensure the safety of journalists in the region.

According to Jules Ngongo, spokesperson of the Congolese Armed Forces in Ituri, the Congolese army has been deployed in the area.

Ituri has been under military occupation since May 6, 2021.

President Félix Tshisekedi has established a state of emergency in the region in an attempt to eradicate rampant terrorism in Ituri and North Kivu.

Kenyan troops arrived in the DRC last week to step up the fight against terrorism.

On Friday the American Special Operations forces also arrived in the country on to join in the fight against terrorism.