Africommons
@africommons.bsky.social
Ken Flottman on Kenya, E. Africa, Democracy Aid reform; nonpartisan (ex-defense, IRI-EA) Xian dem American www.africommons.com [email protected]
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Africommons
@africommons.bsky.social
· Nov 23
THE DEBACLE OF 2007: How Kenyan Politics Was Frozen and an Election Stolen with US Connivance - The Elephant
About 10 years ago, I was preparing to move with my family to Nairobi from the United States just as Kenya was well into the 2007 election campaign. Although I was taking up a temporary job in “democr...
www.theelephant.info
For my first post, I’ll share ICYMI my account of Kenya’s 2007 election from my experience and FOIA: www.theelephant.info/analysis/201...
Reposted by Africommons
"Vladimir Putin was interested in meeting Witkoff... There was just one thing: Witkoff would be expected to come alone, without any CIA handlers, diplomats or even an interpreter, a person familiar with the outreach said." www.wsj.com/world/putin-...
How Putin Got His Preferred U.S. Envoy: Come Alone, No CIA
The Kremlin fueled the rise of Trump’s friend Steve Witkoff with a prisoner release, sidelining career diplomats.
www.wsj.com
December 20, 2025 at 8:51 PM
"Vladimir Putin was interested in meeting Witkoff... There was just one thing: Witkoff would be expected to come alone, without any CIA handlers, diplomats or even an interpreter, a person familiar with the outreach said." www.wsj.com/world/putin-...
Reposted by Africommons
Reposted by Africommons
2 minutes on the National Center for Atmospheric Research, what they do, why it matters, and why the people there are being baselessly attacked.
December 19, 2025 at 10:39 PM
2 minutes on the National Center for Atmospheric Research, what they do, why it matters, and why the people there are being baselessly attacked.
Reposted by Africommons
“Hi I am calling my boss the most powerful man in the world basically like a drunk but less charming, and I am telling it to Vanity Fair. I assume this is private.”
The best and the brightest
The best and the brightest
December 16, 2025 at 10:15 PM
“Hi I am calling my boss the most powerful man in the world basically like a drunk but less charming, and I am telling it to Vanity Fair. I assume this is private.”
The best and the brightest
The best and the brightest
Reposted by Africommons
NCAR is quite literally our global mothership.
Everyone who works in climate and weather has passed through its doors and benefited from its incredible resources.
Dismantling NCAR is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet.
Unbelievable.
Everyone who works in climate and weather has passed through its doors and benefited from its incredible resources.
Dismantling NCAR is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet.
Unbelievable.
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
www.usatoday.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:59 AM
NCAR is quite literally our global mothership.
Everyone who works in climate and weather has passed through its doors and benefited from its incredible resources.
Dismantling NCAR is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet.
Unbelievable.
Everyone who works in climate and weather has passed through its doors and benefited from its incredible resources.
Dismantling NCAR is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet.
Unbelievable.
Reposted by Africommons
Glorious
December 16, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Glorious
Reposted by Africommons
German FM: Zelenskyy's meeting with Witkoff on Sunday made clear that the US delegation had "obviously" coordinated its position with Moscow beforehand.
Wadephul said Sunday's 5h talks were "substantial," but "we will only know at the end of the week" how much real progress was made.
Wadephul said Sunday's 5h talks were "substantial," but "we will only know at the end of the week" how much real progress was made.
December 15, 2025 at 10:40 AM
German FM: Zelenskyy's meeting with Witkoff on Sunday made clear that the US delegation had "obviously" coordinated its position with Moscow beforehand.
Wadephul said Sunday's 5h talks were "substantial," but "we will only know at the end of the week" how much real progress was made.
Wadephul said Sunday's 5h talks were "substantial," but "we will only know at the end of the week" how much real progress was made.
Reposted by Africommons
At base, the issue with Humphrey's Executor is the same issue as with impoundment: Is the federal government required to follow federal law, as described in the Federalist Papers and in Article 2's take care clause? Or is the entire federal lawmaking process merely advisory?
December 9, 2025 at 2:23 PM
At base, the issue with Humphrey's Executor is the same issue as with impoundment: Is the federal government required to follow federal law, as described in the Federalist Papers and in Article 2's take care clause? Or is the entire federal lawmaking process merely advisory?
Reposted by Africommons
Isn't it very clear what the rule is? One President cannot decline to collect on a loan owed to the government -- that's against the law. Another can abolish entire departments, dismiss any employee for any reason, and kill at will. Only experts can spot the difference that makes it so.
December 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Isn't it very clear what the rule is? One President cannot decline to collect on a loan owed to the government -- that's against the law. Another can abolish entire departments, dismiss any employee for any reason, and kill at will. Only experts can spot the difference that makes it so.
Reposted by Africommons
#KENYA: MARAGA PLEDGES TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IF ELECTED PRESIDENT
“I appeal to the people of Kenya to consider me for the presidency. I am committed to fighting corruption and ensuring proper management of public resources,” Maraga said.
MORE: youtu.be/M1-MD5UthM0
“I appeal to the people of Kenya to consider me for the presidency. I am committed to fighting corruption and ensuring proper management of public resources,” Maraga said.
MORE: youtu.be/M1-MD5UthM0
MARAGA PLEDGES TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IF ELECTED PRESIDENT
YouTube video by Mwanzo TV
youtu.be
December 8, 2025 at 7:01 PM
#KENYA: MARAGA PLEDGES TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IF ELECTED PRESIDENT
“I appeal to the people of Kenya to consider me for the presidency. I am committed to fighting corruption and ensuring proper management of public resources,” Maraga said.
MORE: youtu.be/M1-MD5UthM0
“I appeal to the people of Kenya to consider me for the presidency. I am committed to fighting corruption and ensuring proper management of public resources,” Maraga said.
MORE: youtu.be/M1-MD5UthM0
Reposted by Africommons
Pretty crazy that nearly all of the EU Commission is still on X even as Elon Musk is literally talking about destroying the EU.
You can leave X. It's really not that difficult.
You can leave X. It's really not that difficult.
So what's the outcome?
2️⃣5️⃣ of the 27 Commissioners have posted in the last week
2️⃣4️⃣ of the 27 generally post every week (Albuquerque has never been on X, Ribera is sporadic, McGrath has somehow stopped)
0️⃣ have stopped as a result of what Twitter has become since the Musk takeover
2️⃣5️⃣ of the 27 Commissioners have posted in the last week
2️⃣4️⃣ of the 27 generally post every week (Albuquerque has never been on X, Ribera is sporadic, McGrath has somehow stopped)
0️⃣ have stopped as a result of what Twitter has become since the Musk takeover
December 7, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Pretty crazy that nearly all of the EU Commission is still on X even as Elon Musk is literally talking about destroying the EU.
You can leave X. It's really not that difficult.
You can leave X. It's really not that difficult.
Reposted by Africommons
How is the "war" over when fighting between Congolese forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continues to rage in eastern Congo?
December 4, 2025 at 6:17 PM
How is the "war" over when fighting between Congolese forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continues to rage in eastern Congo?
Reposted by Africommons
SCOOP: Sources tell me Donald Trump's name was added to the exterior of the US Institute of Peace building ahead of Thursday's peace agreement signing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which will be held inside the building. Confirming if it's been officially renamed.
December 3, 2025 at 7:31 PM
SCOOP: Sources tell me Donald Trump's name was added to the exterior of the US Institute of Peace building ahead of Thursday's peace agreement signing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which will be held inside the building. Confirming if it's been officially renamed.
Reposted by Africommons
#KENYA: KALONZO INSISTS OPPOSITION UNITY CANNOT BE BROKEN
Kalonzo Musyoka has dispelled any possibility of division in the united opposition, reaffirming their commitment to remaining united until 2027. Kalonzo noted that their mission is to form the next government.
MORE: youtu.be/Oxo3AqwumYo
Kalonzo Musyoka has dispelled any possibility of division in the united opposition, reaffirming their commitment to remaining united until 2027. Kalonzo noted that their mission is to form the next government.
MORE: youtu.be/Oxo3AqwumYo
KALONZO INSISTS OPPOSITION UNITY CANNOT BE BROKEN
YouTube video by Mwanzo TV
youtu.be
December 4, 2025 at 5:02 PM
#KENYA: KALONZO INSISTS OPPOSITION UNITY CANNOT BE BROKEN
Kalonzo Musyoka has dispelled any possibility of division in the united opposition, reaffirming their commitment to remaining united until 2027. Kalonzo noted that their mission is to form the next government.
MORE: youtu.be/Oxo3AqwumYo
Kalonzo Musyoka has dispelled any possibility of division in the united opposition, reaffirming their commitment to remaining united until 2027. Kalonzo noted that their mission is to form the next government.
MORE: youtu.be/Oxo3AqwumYo
Reposted by Africommons
When you've lost Andrew McCarthy...
(McCarthy has been a critic of the whole campaign, and correctly holds that none of this is warfare in a legal sense to begin with, but here also correctly holds that even if it *is* warfare, the actions described are illegal.)
(McCarthy has been a critic of the whole campaign, and correctly holds that none of this is warfare in a legal sense to begin with, but here also correctly holds that even if it *is* warfare, the actions described are illegal.)
November 30, 2025 at 8:19 PM
When you've lost Andrew McCarthy...
(McCarthy has been a critic of the whole campaign, and correctly holds that none of this is warfare in a legal sense to begin with, but here also correctly holds that even if it *is* warfare, the actions described are illegal.)
(McCarthy has been a critic of the whole campaign, and correctly holds that none of this is warfare in a legal sense to begin with, but here also correctly holds that even if it *is* warfare, the actions described are illegal.)
Reposted by Africommons
Trump is pardoning former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez who is currently serving a 45-year sentence in a US prison on involvement in the drug trade.
November 28, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Trump is pardoning former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez who is currently serving a 45-year sentence in a US prison on involvement in the drug trade.
Reposted by Africommons
CNN investigation shows Tanzanian police fatally shooting protesters and signs of mass graves
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...?
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...?
November 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
CNN investigation shows Tanzanian police fatally shooting protesters and signs of mass graves
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...?
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...?
Reposted by Africommons
Cameroon's security forces killed 48 civilians as they responded to protests against the re-election of President Paul Biya, the world's oldest ruler, according to data shared with Reuters by two UN sources.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Cameroon security forces killed 48 in election protests, UN sources say
Cameroon's security forces killed 48 civilians as they responded to protests against the re-election of President Paul Biya, the world's oldest ruler, according to data shared with Reuters on Tuesday by two U.N. sources.
www.reuters.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Cameroon's security forces killed 48 civilians as they responded to protests against the re-election of President Paul Biya, the world's oldest ruler, according to data shared with Reuters by two UN sources.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Reposted by Africommons
Earlier this year, CCIJ undertook a massive audit of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, collecting and analyzing over 160,000 polling unit results.
Using MuckRock's crowdsourcing platform and Amazon Textract, CCIJ extracted and verified vote counts.
Using MuckRock's crowdsourcing platform and Amazon Textract, CCIJ extracted and verified vote counts.
Preserving Democracy: How CCIJ verified and permanently archived Nigerian election documents
Earlier this year, the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism undertook a massive audit of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, collecting and analyzing over 160,000 polling unit results.
www.muckrock.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Earlier this year, CCIJ undertook a massive audit of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, collecting and analyzing over 160,000 polling unit results.
Using MuckRock's crowdsourcing platform and Amazon Textract, CCIJ extracted and verified vote counts.
Using MuckRock's crowdsourcing platform and Amazon Textract, CCIJ extracted and verified vote counts.
How A.I. and Social Media Contribute to ‘Brain Rot’ www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/t...
How A.I. and Social Media Contribute to ‘Brain Rot’
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:29 PM
How A.I. and Social Media Contribute to ‘Brain Rot’ www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/t...
Reposted by Africommons
Tanzania’s Opposition Leader John Heche Missing After Police Arrest
mwanzotv.com/tanzanias-op...
mwanzotv.com/tanzanias-op...
Tanzania’s Opposition Leader John Heche Missing After Police Arrest - Mwanzo TV
His current location remains unknown, raising serious concerns about his safety and wellbeing.
mwanzotv.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Tanzania’s Opposition Leader John Heche Missing After Police Arrest
mwanzotv.com/tanzanias-op...
mwanzotv.com/tanzanias-op...
Reposted by Africommons
The networks took the much smaller Tea Party movement so seriously they broadcast a Tea Party rebuttal to Obama’s 2011 SOTU on top of the normal GOP one.
Reminder: We spent YEARS reading thousands and thousands of articles on the Tea Party and how it was a true expression of the American people's will, and it never mounted anything nearly as big as Saturday's No Kings rallies. [1/3]
October 20, 2025 at 1:37 AM
The networks took the much smaller Tea Party movement so seriously they broadcast a Tea Party rebuttal to Obama’s 2011 SOTU on top of the normal GOP one.
Reposted by Africommons
Raila Odinga: the man who changed Kenya without ever ruling it.
Raila Odinga: the man who changed Kenya without ever ruling it
Odinga was both a remarkable figure and an embodiment of Kenya’s political contradictions.
theconversation.com
October 18, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Raila Odinga: the man who changed Kenya without ever ruling it.
Meta’s Louisiana Data Center Needs More Than Twice as Much Energy as All of New Orleans, Requiring $3B Upgrade www.mississippifreepress.org/metas-louisi...
New Meta Data Center Needs Twice as Much Energy as New Orleans
Meta is constructing its largest data center yet: a $10 billion facility in Louisiana requiring more than twice as much electricity as New Orleans.
www.mississippifreepress.org
September 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Meta’s Louisiana Data Center Needs More Than Twice as Much Energy as All of New Orleans, Requiring $3B Upgrade www.mississippifreepress.org/metas-louisi...