Tit Bits from the Continent

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe’s government hopes to see Mandarin Chinese taught in universities as the school year starts in February. 

The plan is part of President Robert Mugabe’s “Look East” policy. It is not clear whether Chinese will be a compulsory subject.The government is trying to build closer economic links with China amid worsening relations with the West. Education Minister Stan Mudenge said he had held talks with the Chinese authorities on the matter. He said the government wanted to offer a curriculum that would see students from all Zimbabwe’s universities taking Chinese to promote tourism and trade between the two countries. 

Exchange 
“At a recent meeting I held in Paris with my counterpart, the Chinese minister of education, we agreed to intensify our programmes in the field of education, cultural exchange programmes including language training,” Mr Mudenge said, quoted by the Zimbabwean newspaper The Standard. 

The Zimbabwe National Association of Student Unions criticised the government’s plans. “It seems they are trying every political gimmick to lure the Chinese into this country to bankroll their bankrupt regime,” the association’s president, Washington Katema, told the South African newspaper, The Star. Observers say that offering Chinese to all university students would require many more Chinese teachers to be brought into the country. Investment and tourism revenues from the west have plummeted in recent years, prompting President Robert Mugabe to look increasingly to Asia to try to help his country’s troubled economy. 

KENYA
Rescue work ends in tears and prayers 
By Patrick Mathangani and Evelyn Kwamboka

The scene of the collapsed building in Nairobi fell silent on Thursday as the search for survivors and bodies was officially brought to an end, drying up the well of hope among those whose loved ones are still missing.

Some family members of the dead and missing stood silently as dignitaries, including several heads of foreign missions and Cabinet ministers, lay wreaths atop the debris in honour of the 14 people who died in the tragedy. The tally of those pulled out of the rubble alive stood at 105.

With the Kenyan, United States, Israeli, United Kingdom and Kenya Army flags fluttering in the wind beside the debris, a band played several tunes as rescuers dusted their dirty outfits.

Memories of the August 7, 1998 terrorist bomb attack in Nairobi flooded back when Mr Sammy Ng’ang’a, who was pulled out of the debris of the collapsed Ufundi Co-operative Sacco by Israeli rescuers, stepped forward to issue them with certificates of gratitude.

“The really great men are the ones who make others great,” mumbled Ng’ang’a.

Rescue mission ends

Giant cranes and earthmovers used in the rescue operation rumbled out of the scene soon after the end of a ceremony held to mark the end of the rescue mission at the ill-fated building now known as the House of Death.

Rescuers, many strangers to one another, but united in their mission to save lives, patted each other and traded hugs before they went separate ways. 

The sea of dirty-green uniforms worn by the Israelis, jungle fatigues of Kenyan and US soldiers and the red and yellow outfits of the Kenya Red Cross and St John Ambulance volunteers receded as the operation came to a halt.

When the flags were lowered, signalling the end of the rescue operation, Marianna Mugami cut a forlorn figure sitting on a chair far away from the tent where the officials were. She struggled to hold back tears from her blood-shot eyes.

For her, the ceremony was a confirmation that her brother, Patrick Kirimi, 32, and nephew, David Mbario, 25, whom she had helped get jobs at the construction site, may never be found alive.

“I feel bad because I’m the one who brought them here. I believe they are still down there. We have searched all the hospitals and information centres and there is no word about them,” Mugami said.

Now she just wants to see their bodies. However, this may be long in coming because the rescue team stopped any more burrowing into the debris since one wing of the neighbouring building that did not collapse was leaning dangerously and could crash if care was not taken.

More bodies ruled out

Debris at one section of the collapsed building next to the leaning wing had not been touched and Mugami feared her kin could be trapped there. 

The rescuers, however, said they were sure there were no more people or bodies in the rubble. 

“We went in there with dogs and there were no signs of people. I don’t think there are any people or bodies,” said Major General Ithak Gershon, the head of the Israeli team.

The Israelis flew home, leaving the remaining task of burrowing through the debris to Kenyans teams. Also leaving were American soldiers and a British rescue team.

Kenyan teams returned to clear the area at 4pm, seven hours after the operation had been halted.

The Israeli government said it would assist Kenya establish a rapid response search and rescue unit modelled on their own, following a request by President Kibaki.

“The people of Israel have always felt very strongly toward the people of Kenya. We shall always respond to a friend in need without second thought,” said Israeli ambassador, Emmanuel Seri.

But even as the rescuers left the scene, the Parliamentary committee on Health and Housing criticised the decision to halt the operation as “unprofessional”

Parallel probe committees

The committee chairman, Dr Guracha Galgalo, said even bodies should be removed from under the rubble.

However, Major General Gershon and his Kenya Army counterpart, Major General Paul Opiyo, said they believed there were no more bodies or survivors under the rubble. 

Speakers at the emotional ceremony remembered those who died and gave their condolences, but asked the Government to ensure measures were taken to prevent similar tragedies in future.

“There are very important lessons to be learnt here. Similar lessons have been learnt in the past. We cannot be students forever. It’s time to take action that will enable us to respond faster in future,” said Chief of General Staff Jeremiah Kianga.

KENYA

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A starving Kenyan woman placed a powerful tribal curse on God, accusing him of sending famine, and died in her sleep, local newspapers said Thursday. The woman from eastern Kenya's drought-ravaged Kangundo district decided to invoke a dreaded oath from the Kamba community, famed for its potent witchcraft, media reports said.

"Whoever brought this famine, let him perish," the woman chanted, striking a cooking pot with a stick.

"She accomplished the feat at 10 a.m. and waited for the results, but God's wrath struck at night. She died peacefully in her sleep," the Kenya Times newspaper said.

Poor rains for three years running have left more than 3.5 million Kenyans on the edge of starvation, prompting President Mwai Kibaki to declare the drought a national disaster.