The Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda held celebrations on Sunday afternoon to mark this year's United Nations Chinese Language Day.

The event, under the theme "Chinese Language: A Gift Across Time and Space," offered attendees an immersive experience of Chinese culture and language.

Speaking at the event, Lin Hang, charge d'affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda, said that as an official language of the United Nations, the Chinese language is an important bond of friendship between the Chinese people and the people around the world.

"Language is a crucial tool of communication for human beings. As you may be aware, Chinese is the only 'living language' among the world's ancient civilizations that is still in use today. At present, more than 190 countries and regions around the world are teaching Chinese, and 85 countries have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems," she said.

"China puts the spirit of real multilateralism into good practice, embraces an open and inclusive mindset, enhances mutual appreciation and learning, deepens understanding and friendship between the peoples across borders and among civilizations," she added.

Zeng Guangyu, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda, told Xinhua during the event that when the institute was established in 2009, only a handful of students enrolled, as many thought it was too difficult to learn. However, nearly 20,000 Rwandans can now speak Chinese after years of sustained efforts.

He noted that Chinese language skills have opened doors for Rwandan learners, enabling them to secure jobs, win scholarships, study in China, and even start businesses.

"I have seen Chinese learners achieve their dreams through the language -- by creating enterprises or finding good jobs. They are truly changing their lives through learning Chinese. English is used worldwide, but Chinese is a rising language in East Africa and across the globe. It represents the future," Zeng said.

He also highlighted that this year's celebrations also featured the launch of a Kiswahili-Chinese-English textbook, aimed at bridging Chinese with two of East Africa's most commonly spoken languages.

"We held a lecture on Chinese characters, organized workshops on Chinese writing and calligraphy, and conducted many activities across different teaching posts to mark the occasion," Zeng added. Xinhua

The blast, which occurred around 9 p.m. on April 20, is now being treated by insiders as an attempted assassination. Okah, found unconscious in his cell early Monday morning, is said to have suffered severe smoke inhalation and possibly serious burns.

Charles Okah, a high-profile inmate at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre (MaSCC) in Maiduguri, is reportedly in critical condition following a suspected bomb explosion that rocked the facility late Sunday night.

The blast, which occurred around 9 p.m. on April 20, is now being treated by insiders as an attempted assassination. Okah, found unconscious in his cell early Monday morning, is said to have suffered severe smoke inhalation and possibly serious burns.

Sources within the facility confirmed that Okah was removed from the debris around 6 a.m. by emergency personnel. Although still alive, he remains unconscious and in a life-threatening condition.

According to sources, paramedics attached to the custodial centre are working to stabilise him, with plans underway to transfer him to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for specialised treatment.

Security sources revealed that a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera with night vision capabilities, positioned near the cells, may have captured footage of the individual responsible for planting the explosive device.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but speculation is rife. Some reports link the explosion to a recent discovery made during a routine cell search on Monday, April 14. During the operation, conducted by personnel from the Armed Squad Unit, a draft letter allegedly authored by Okah was found. The letter reportedly detailed claims of staged deaths within the prison system and was addressed to the Borno State Attorney General.

Other sources suggest a more sinister theory that elements within the high command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) may be complicit in the incident, allegedly aiming to silence Okah before a scheduled investigation into corruption within Maiduguri's custodial centres could occur.

Authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident or Okah’s current medical condition.

Charles Okah, brother of Henry Okah, has been serving a prison sentence linked to the 2010 Independence Day bombings in Abuja. His incarceration has remained a subject of public interest and controversy over the years.

On Sunday evening, Sahara Reporters reported that an explosion had rocked the prison facility, sparking a fire in the solitary confinement cell where Ohah had been held since mid-March.

Initial reports from within the prison indicated that an object, likely a bomb, was lobbed into Okah’s cell through the open window bars.

Eyewitnesses reported heavy smoke billowing from the cell. The incident followed Okah’s open letter to Nigeria's Minister of Interior, Olubunmi-Ojo, in which he exposed widespread judicial and official corruption in two custodial centres in Maiduguri.

According to accounts from the scene, Okah was heard coughing and choking amidst the growing smoke, with his screams echoing throughout the compound. He reportedly shouted that the explosive device had been thrown into his cell, sparking the fire that had engulfed his quarters.

Sahara Reporters' attempts to contact Abubakar Umar, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, for comment were unsuccessful. He did not answer phone calls or respond to a text message. Sahara Reporters

Known for his humility, progressive leadership and tireless advocacy for social justice, Pope Francis left journalists in stitches when he brushed off security concerns during his visit in Kenya on November 25, 2015.#When asked if he was concerned about security risks, the Pope quipped: “To tell you the truth, the only thing I’m concerned about is the mosquitoes. Did you bring your spray?”

His visit had come weeks after the US had issued a security alert over possible attacks by the Somali-based al-Shabaab militia group. Referring to the attacks carried out by the militant Islamist group in the country, he said God’s name “must never be used to justify hatred and violence”. He said conflict and terrorism fed “on fear, mistrust and the despair born of poverty and frustration”.

The Pope also had a message of hope for the youth, whom he said had been marginalised and appealed to them to “shape a society which is ever more just, inclusive and respectful of human dignity”. “May you always be concerned for the needs of the poor, and reject everything that leads to prejudice and discrimination.”

Pope Francis’ five-day visit to Africa, the first time since his election in 2013, had also seen him go to Uganda and Central African Republic, which had been hit by Christian-Muslim conflict.

He called on Christians and Muslims to engage in a dialogue of peace in the face of religious radicalisation and “barbarous” attacks, as he began the first full day of his three-nation trip to Africa.

He met a small group of faith leaders in Nairobi before a public open-air mass, attended by around 300,000 people in the pouring rain and amid tight security.

Religion could never be used to justify violence, he told Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Jewish representatives.

“All too often, young people are being radicalised in the name of religion to sow discord and fear and to tear at the very fabric of society,” he said. “How important it is that we be seen as prophets of peace, peacemakers who invite others to live in peace, harmony and mutual respect.”

Traditional dancers

Francis was greeted by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, and others, amid singing by traditional dance groups.

Speaking to journalists before his plane touched down, he had said he wanted to offer spiritual and material support to Africans. “I am going with joy to Kenya, Uganda and the brothers of the Central African Republic,” he had said on the flight. “Let’s hope this trip brings better fruit, both spiritual and material.”

After greeting Kenyatta, Francis was presented with a bouquet by a boy and a girl. Traditional dancers, some dressed in Maasai regalia, and choirs at the airport sang “karibu baba” in Swahili, lyrics which translate as “welcome father”. 

Later, Francis was welcomed by an honour guard at the State House and a 21-gun salute.

While in Kenya, Francis delivered an important environmental message at the UN environment programme headquarters on the eve of key climate talks in Paris.

During his visit to Kangemi slums, Pope Francis launched a blistering attack on “new forms of colonialism” that exacerbated the “dreadful injustice of urban exclusion.”

The pontiff criticised wealthy minorities who hoard resources at the expense of the poor and praised the values of solidarity and mutual support in deprived neighbourhoods.

Such values, he said, had been forgotten by “an opulent society, anaesthetised by unbridled consumption” and were “not quoted in the stock exchange, are not subject to speculation and have no market price”.

Denounced injustices

The Pope told the packed congregation at the Jesuit Centre in Kangemi: “I am here because I want you to know that I am not indifferent to your joys and hopes, your troubles and your sorrows. I realise the difficulties which you experience daily. How can I not denounce the injustices which you suffer?”

Such injustices were the result of “wounds inflicted by minorities who cling to power and wealth, who selfishly squander while a growing majority is forced to flee to abandoned, filthy and rundown peripheries”, the pope said.

He criticised the lack of “infrastructures and basic services”, adding: “By this I mean toilets, sewers, drains, refuse collection, electricity, roads, as well as schools, hospitals, recreational and sport centres, studios and workshops for artists and craftsmen. I refer, in particular, to access to drinking water.”

The pontiff also condemned what he described as the unjust distribution of land, poor housing and criminal gangs preying on children. “These realities … are not a random combination of unrelated problems. They are a consequence of new forms of colonialism which would make African countries ‘parts of a machine, cogs on a gigantic wheel’,” he said, citing a statement from Pope John Paul II in 1995.

Urban poverty

The pope proposed “integrated cities which belong to everyone” as way of alleviating urban poverty and inequality.

“We need to go beyond the mere proclamation of rights which are not respected in practice, to implementing concrete and systematic initiatives capable of improving the overall living situation, and planning new urban developments of good quality for housing future generations,” he said. 

After visiting Kangemi, the pope capped his three-day visit to Kenya with a plea to the country’s leadership to be more responsive to the needs of the people.

Addressing tens of thousands of young Kenyans, who had packed into the country’s main stadium to listen to the last major speech of his tour, Francis said: “Corruption takes away our joy, our peace: corrupt people don’t live in peace.

Corruption is something that eats inside, like sugar. Sweet, we like it, it’s easy. And then we end up badly.”

He said Kenya had been one of the poster boys of the “rising Africa” narrative, with a growing middle class, but it remains a deeply unequal society, where conditions in low-income urban settlements are among the worst on the continent.

Pope Francis offered a sombre warning on the dangers of a church driven by “ambition for wealth and power”.

“The church is not a business,” he said. “It is not an NGO. It’s a mystery. A mystery of Christ’s gaze upon each one of us.”

There have been concerns that some priests are attracted to the ministry by the vast resources of the church, which is a major player in Kenya’s education and health sectors.

Francis warned against succumbing to the impulse of joining the priesthood to accumulate wealth, and he told the gathered priests that they had to examine themselves to find out whether they had gone into service through the “door of Christ or the window”. People Daily

Taxpayers will continue to pay billions of shillings to external lawyers procured by county governments to defend them in various legal matters after senators declined to bar governors from seeking the services of external law firms.

It now means the devolved units, and taxpayers, will continue to spend billions on legal fees. Auditor General Nancy Gathungu report has queried the exorbitant legal fees being paid to external law firms. 

Counties spend millions of shillings on cases that can be handled by the legal department. In all her audit reports, Gathungu has exposed massive wastage of public funds on legal fees. The counties, however, have defended their actions, insisting they outsource the services since most of the cases they face are complex.

In a report by a joint committee of the Senate Justice and Legal Affairs and Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations, tabled in the House last week, the lawmakers advised the devolved units to outsource legal services only for ‘complex or specialised’ cases, which the internal legal department cannot handle.

“County governments should procure external legal services through the office of the county attorney, and the costs should be in line with the relevant laws and guidelines. The county governments are advised to seek representation from external legal firms occasionally when handling complex or specialised legal services, the report reads in part.

Curbing wastage.

The report follows a petition by a Nakuru resident, Laban Omusundi, who prayed to the Senate to restrain the devolved units from hiring law firms to represent them in civil cases. The petitioner said the move would safeguard the huge chunk of public funds directed at paying law firms, which could be used to enhance services to contemporary citizens.’

In the report, the committee asked the counties to prioritise capacity-building programmes for legal counsel, and ensure competitive remuneration and timely payment of allowances.

The lawmakers also want the counties to allocate sufficient budgetary resources and recruit adequate staff to enhance the performance and effectiveness of the office of the county attorney.

“The county governments should strictly adhere to the legal framework governing the outsourcing of legal services and implement strong oversight and accountability measures,” the report reads.

The Senate report comes at a time when the governments are on the spot over the alleged misuse of billions of taxpayers’ money on the hiring of law firms. This is despite the existence of a fully-fledged legal departments headed by county attorneys in the counties. In her 2023-24 audit report, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu exposed how the counties are losing billions in legal fees.

For instance, Nairobi City County government is set to pay Sh1.3billion to city-based lawyer Donald Kipkorir as payment for his legal services in two court cases involving military land ownership and the legitimacy of the city fire brigade by-laws. The legal fees have been pending for years until Kipkorir took the matter to court for the City County Government to honour its obligations. 

In Marsabit County, the audit report flagged the Mohamud Ali-led administration for procuring the services of a law firm at Sh10.3million to defend a civil case where the plaintif had sued for Sh1million in damages.

In Kisumu, the audit flagged Sh46million in unsupported legal expenses, while in Mombasa, the county is grappling with unexplained payments of Sh67million in legal fees.

Legal largesse

In Kilifi, the auditor flagged Sh71 million legal fees, while in Uasin Gishu County, despite having an Office of the County Attorney, it spent Sh22.2million on external legal representation.

In the 2022-23 financial year, the auditor queried Sh1.45billion expenditure on pending legal bills payments by the counties. In 2021-22, the auditor queried Sh23.84billion, while in 2022-21 the amount flagged stood at Sh2.17 billion.

“The OAG’s reports pointed out the counties continued to engage private law firms to offer legal services despite establishing the offices of the county attorney,” the report states.

The devolved units, the report states, do not adhere to the requirements of section 16 of the Office of the County Attorney 2020, which requires a county department or public entity established within a county executive to seek written approval from the executive committee when engaging the services of a consultant to render any legal services to the county.

In their submission, the Council of Governors stated that the legal matters affecting the county governments were complex, diverse and continuously evolving, and often required technical expertise beyond the general purview of the county attorneys.

“To enhance the equality of legal representation, counties engaged external lawyers to be able to access specialised knowledge and skills that are essential for effectively addressing specific legal challenges,” the report says. By Rawlings Otieno, People Daily