Written By Ramadhan Kambi 📝
A Kenyan of Italian origin has declared interest to run for the Kilifi gubernatorial seat.
Franco Esposito who was nicknamed Kasoso Baya by the Giriama in Magarini will be vying for the governor’s seat in an Independent ticket and is confident of winning the seat on August 9 general elections.
Mr. Esposito, a seasoned politician in Magarini, ran three times and failed to become the Magarini Member of Parliament, the first time was during a by-election in which incumbent Governor Amason Kingi was elected for the first time as Magarini MP.
In his official announcement, he stated that he left the Kadu Asili Party, of which he was a life member, and decided to run for governor on an independent ticket after the Kadu Asili Party denied him the ticket.
Esposito stated that his symbol is the buffalo, and his slogan is Unity and Diversity, with the goal of transforming Kilifi County, which has lagged in development since time immemorial.
When elected, the Italian promised to establish a special trust fund for education, with all of his salary going toward funding education for poor-bright children up to university level.
“I am here with all my supporters to officially announce that I am going to run as a governor of Kilifi as an independent Individual. I received the certificate from the secretary of a national party and our symbol is the rhino Kifaru,” he said.
He stated that the people of Kilifi approached him and asked him to run for office because the county has lagged behind in terms of development since independence, while the rest of the country has excelled.
Esposito found it surprising that Kenya was competing with South Africa and Nigeria, but that some parts of the country, including Kilifi, lacked development.
The Italian stated that his manifesto will focus on education because development is difficult without education.
“I have seen in the rural Magarini and Kilifi the poor children walk on barefoot, they are looking after goats, sheep and collecting water they don’t go to school these are people who should be in school and that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
Esposito also stated that he would make every effort to improve infrastructure in order to attract investors and resurrect tourism and industrialization.
He also stated that his administration will establish a large-scale agricultural project capable of exporting products and establishing landowner cooperatives.
The Italian, who moved to Malindi in 1963 and worked as the manager of the San Marco Italian Space Agency in Ngomeni before retiring and relocating to Kenya, said he would also revive the Magarini irrigation scheme, which had collapsed after being donated by the Australian embassy.
According to him, the people’s wealth is inland, and if properly utilized, there will be enough money for them to send their children to school and live a good life.
“We have seen in other parts of Kenya where people with land become very wealthy and work very hard, I have seen also that people are purchasing the Mijikenda land and making a very good profit in pineapple, mangoes, they come with lorries from Kilifi take it to upcountry and export,” he said.
Esposito said he also intends to empower the local fishermen to begin fishing with large vessels (trawlers) form cooperatives among them building cold storages and ensuring all the fish products are prepared into fillets and ready for exports.
Once the Malindi international airport expansion is complete he said it would be easier for fish to be exported directly from the town.
Politically Esposito said he supports Azimio coalition and the election of Raila Odinga as the fifth president of the Republic of Kenya.
Supporters who spoke including Mohamed Musa, Fredrick Kimomo Grace Maanzi Emmanuel Kombe, and Johnson Mtawali said the Italian is the only one who could help transform Kilifi and urged all residents of Kilifi to support him.
Musa said before joining politics he has done a lot in Magarini on education and roads among other developments.
“Kilifi is cosmopolitan. It requires a good leader to help transform the county not just a leader with selfish interests,” he said.
Kimomo said the last 10 years of devolution they have not seen development but have hope with the Italian who has even devoted his salary to education.
“We are confident that tourism will be revived under his administration currently the sector is not under the knees it’s in the mortuary,” he said.
