Journalist | News junkie | All things Africa | Former BBC Senior News Editor & Head of East Africa | My tweets = my views. Likes = bookmarks
Joined February 2009
- Tweets 36,951
- Following 3,289
- Followers 28,321
- Likes 5,276
1,250 Photos and videos
Rachael Akidi retweeted
🤣🤣🤣naye this country is funny man. The CDF deploys the Speaker of parliament, head of the legislature as his special envoy to parliament. I think the transition happend long time ago.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
We are banning social media access for under 16s.
These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life.
I just can’t let that go on anymore. So we’re giving children their childhoods back.
Community note
The UK Government's 'careful review' of the research found a small correlation between children's use of social media and wellbeing, but no evidence of a causal effect:
gov.uk/government/pub…
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696e0b46…
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Kenya strongly protests the decision by Israel to include the country amongst those whose travellers it will restrict. This is esp unfortunate given Kenya’s support to regional surveillance & response to Ebola. With over 80,000 tests, no case of Ebola has been reported in Kenya.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
It is profoundly heartbreaking to witness another surge of xenophobic violence in #SouthAfrica this week. Hundreds have marched on Parliament, thousands of families have been displaced, and lives have been tragically cut short.
These include at least five Ethiopians killed earlier in the attacks, and five Mozambicans who died in Mossel Bay. Thousands more are now fleeing for their lives.
To see South Africa turn to xenophobia is a tragic betrayal of the country's struggle for independence and freedom. African nations stood united to dismantle apartheid. Ethiopia proudly supported "Madiba," Nelson Mandela, in 1962 and issued him a passport so he could travel the continent. Other countries helped in many ways, including with political and financial support.
Disagreements and grievances must be addressed by the justice system and the rule of law, never through vigilante violence and collective punishment.
South Africa deserves better. Africa deserves better.
Stop the hate. Protect the vulnerable. Uphold our shared humanity.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 13
Thousands joined anti-racism demonstrations across the UK after days of anti-immigration unrest.
Large crowds gathered in Belfast and Glasgow to reject racism and far-right mobilisation following riots that targeted ethnic minorities, homes and businesses.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 12
The reality of life
A casket carrying the deceased arrives at the church for a funeral service, while a newlywed couple happily departs the same church, beginning a new chapter together. Life is a constant reminder of endings and new beginnings.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 12
Nigeria has evacuated over 260 citizens from South Africa following rising anti-immigrant sentiment across the country.
Nigeria said all the repatriated citizens had a legal right to be in South Africa, but South African officials dispute this.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 12
Breaking News: Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire as SpaceX shares soared above $150 on its first day of trading. nyti.ms/4uvca5a
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 12
The normal display of African unity in the early stages of a football World Cup was notably absent from social media as many fans from across the continent backed Mexico in the tournament's opening match against South Africa. bbc.in/49S0z94
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 11
A South Sudanese whistleblower who made allegations of corruption in his home country was abducted in Kenya and taken to South Sudan's capital Juba, according to his wife. reuters.com/world/africa/sou…
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Congratulations to @BoeingAirplanes and @UG_Airlines for a commitment for new 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max aircraft. This agreement highlights American excellence in innovation, manufacturing, and aviation, enabling @UG_Airlines to modernize its fleet and expand its route network. We are excited that Boeing aircraft will continue flying to and from the Pearl of Africa!
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 11
The Ebola outbreak in Uganda is "under control", the African Union's health agency said on Thursday, praising its contact-tracing efforts
Read more: trtafrika.com/english/articl…
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 11
BREAKING: UEFA have announced Somali referee Omar Artan will take charge of the 2026 Super Cup Final between Aston Villa and PSG in Salzburg.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 10
A U.S. doctor who was transferred to a Czech hospital from Uganda last month as a precaution after having contact with a patient with Ebola has been released and is on his way home, Prague's Bulovka hospital said on Wednesday. reuters.com/business/healthc…
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 10
“During COVID, the Archbishop of Canterbury came here. He wanted to bless me, I told him ‘bless me from a distance’” (Museveni)
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 10
.@StateDept announced $20 million in funding for Ebola preparedness in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan; bringing the total for the Ebola response to more than $220 million. The additional funding will support national emergency operations centers; enhance capacities for surveillance, testing, border screening, and infection prevention and control; enable procurement and distribution of critical commodities; and prepare countries to manage potential patients with Ebola disease.
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
WHO Rapid Risk Assessment on #Ebola caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda:
The risk assessment has been revised:
🔴 Very high at the national level in #DRC
🟠 High for #Uganda
🟠 High for countries sharing land borders with DRC and Uganda
🔵 Low for the rest of the Africa region and at the global level
The risk in DRC remains very high, because:
⚠️ The outbreak has continued to expand rapidly in terms of numbers of cases and geographical spread with more areas affected
⚠️ Epidemiological links and the full chain of transmission are not yet clearly established, and the source of the outbreak remains under investigation
⚠️ Ongoing conflict restricts movement of frontline responders and surveillance teams
⚠️ Community fear and misinformation hinder case detection, contact tracing, and isolation, and potentially facilitate disease spread
⚠️ Limited healthcare infrastructure and delays in laboratory confirmation, although these are being scaled up by DRC, with support of partners
WHO continues to support DRC to put an end to this outbreak bit.ly/3Sgobhn
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 10
Katiba Institute Files Contempt of Court Application Over Secretive U.S. Ebola Facility, Condemns Continued Construction and Withholding of Documents:
We have filed an urgent contempt of court application at the High Court in Nairobi against the Kenyan government. The application addresses the blatant violation of existing conservatory and disclosure orders regarding the secretive U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya.
Despite explicit court orders mandating the suspension of all plans to establish, operationalise, or approve the facility, construction and development have illegally continued. Furthermore, the authorities have defied court directives compelling the full disclosure of documents, agreements, and safety protocols regarding the facility to the public and the courts.
Read More via katibainstitute.org/katiba-i…
.@NoraMbagathi .@joshuamalidzo
Court Update:
The High Court has granted conservatory orders restraining the Government from establishing, operationalising, facilitating, approving, or permitting any Ebola quarantine, isolation, exposure, or treatment facility in Kenya pursuant to the challenged arrangement with the United States or any other foreign government pending the hearing and determination of the petition.
The Court has further prohibited the admission into, transfer to, receipt within, or facilitation of entry into Kenya of persons exposed to or infected with Ebola under the challenged arrangement.
The Court has also compelled the Respondents to disclose all agreements, negotiations, approvals, risk assessments, and operational protocols relating to the proposed facility and arrangement within 7 days.
These orders maintain the current state of affairs, prevent irreversible actions from being taken before constitutional scrutiny, and ensure transparency and public accountability in a matter raising significant concerns about public health, sovereignty, and constitutional governance.
.@joshuamalidzo .@NoraMbagathi
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Rachael Akidi retweeted
Jun 10
Ethiopian Airlines has sparked outrage in Sudan after refusing to accept Sudanese pounds for ticket bookings, instead requiring payments in US dollars only. Travelers say the policy is forcing them to source US dollars from the black market, significantly increasing travel costs. Aviation officials and economists are now calling for an urgent review of the airline’s payment policy amid growing public concern.
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