Franco Esposito, a Kilifi resident of Italian descent came to the Kenyan coast and fell in love with the place. But, he never knew that his love for Kilifi would end up in Kenyan politics.
The Italian-born tycoon based at the coast joined the race for governorship in a bid to succeed outgoing Governor Amason Jeffa Kingi. Kingi served his maximum two-term 10-year as Kilifi Governor.
And Esposito, 81, saw himself the best candidate to step into Kingi’s shoes but ended up losing as in his previous two bids.
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Where was Franco Esposito Born?
France Esposito was born in 1941 in his native home in Italy. He then flew to Kenya in 1973 when he was 22 years old never to return home. He found a safe haven at the Kenyan coast and settled.
For the last 49 years, Esposito called Kilifi home. Locals christened him Kasoso Baya, a coastal name.
He then invested in the real estate and hospitality industry in Kenya. He has multi-million-shilling investment in luxurious property.
Franco Esposito. Photo/People Daily
Is Franco Esposito a Kenyan Politician?
He right fully is a Kenyan having vied thrice for a political seat in Kilifi. Before vying in the recently-concluded polls as an independent candidate he was a KADU Asili party life member.
However, he decamped the party citing unfair treatment. KADU handed a different politician his ticket. Gideon Mung’aro of the ODM party won the governorship with 143, 773 votes. Aisha Jumwa of the UDA party received 65,893 votes, and George Kithi of the PAA party received 64,326 votes.
Among the losers in this contest was Esposito, who received 2,709 votes. Michael Tinga of Ford Kenya, who had earlier given up his aspiration in favor of Kithi, received 2,864 votes
Other candidates include Alphonce Dzombo Mbaru of the Safina Party, who received 1,497 votes, and David Noti Kombe, who received 2,574 votes.
His last shot at Kenyan politics pushed him to retirement. The octogenarian’s political focus was on bolstering tourism in Kilifi, bettering education and access to clean water.
He was also focused on ensuring the county got better electricity connectivity as most villages lack power.
Why is Franco Esposito Retiring from Kenyan Politics?
Esposito is leaving politics to focus on family and other interests. He said he will keep working on his multimillion-dollar real estate venture.
He predicted that a prosperous tourist season would help him amass a large fortune. He won’t leave Kenya though because he considers it’ his home and he never wants to leave.
One of the things he plans on doing is spending more time on his own, explore the world as much as he can, and retire in the near future.
He added that if there is a client eager to buy his Woburn residence property in Malindi soon, he will gladly sell it after the election. Esposito said that every human being needs to take a break and enjoy his hard work every once in a while.
He is not in a hurry though to sell it until he gets a good offer.
What is Kilifi Known For?
Franco Esposito. Photo/Kayak
Besides its beach, Kilifi is well-known for the 14th- to 17th-century Mnarani ruins, which include mosques and tombs. Many of the world’s finest resorts and hotels are in this county.
Malindi which is the county’s headquarters is also famous for Mambrui sand dunes. Mambrui is home to the amazing Kola Beach which is the region’s ‘golden beach’ amplified by the rare occurrence of sand dunes.
Mambrui is in the northern part of Malindi in Kwale County. It holds a lot of historical significance in the country’s ancient times. It has been a home for Kenyan and Chinese archaeologists for donkey years. The archaeologists have been exploring a theory on Chinese presence in Kenya during the reign of Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
A decade ago, a Chinese coin dating back to the 15th century, iron slags and a jade green shard of porcelain were discovered in Mambrui further amplifying its relevance and significance in the world of archaeology.
Besides the archaeological and historical relevance that Mambrui holds, it is Kenya’s holy grail when it comes to “exceptional tourism”.
Sadly, despite the uniqueness that Mambrui holds in a country that has more water bodies than deserts, Kenyans, as well as international tourists, are not aware that this part of the country in Malindi exists.
Kola Beach sits undisturbed save for the ocean tides that pushed hard to the shore but the white sands of the beach us contagious. Due to the presence of sand dunes, the beach turns golden when the sun shimmers due to pyrites particulars which turn golden when the with reflection from the sun.
Nature is quiet here, only its beauty speaks loud enough. Mambrui is dotted by baobab trees and winds down to the Sabaki River which is a lifeline for thousands of people in the area.
