The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been clearing candidates across the county to vie for various political seats in the August 9, General Election.
The exercise has been characterized by dramatic scenes as some of the hopefuls from the presidency to Members of the County Assembly were not cleared to contest in the much-awaited 2022 polls.
For instance, the Wafula Chebukati-led commission locked out all independent presidential hopefuls on various grounds including not having provided the requisite number of signatures from across the country.
The commission on Tuesday, June 7 cleared a muzungu of Italian origin to vie for the Kilifi gubernatorial seat in the forthcoming General Election.
According to the Kenyan Constitution, a foreigner who is seeking the gubernatorial seat in Kenya must have been a Kenyan citizen for at least 10 years, not owe allegiance to a foreign state, and be a holder of a Degree from a recognized institution.
The candidate must not hold dual citizenship unless citizenship of the other country has been obtained by operation of law without the capacity to opt-out.
The 81-year-old Franco Esposito nicknamed Kasoso Baya by the Giriama community in Magarini will be vying for the seat as an independent aspirant.
The former Kadu Asili party member said he opted to vie as an independent candidate after he quit the outfit for denying him the ticket.
He is expected to face off with Lamu MP Aisha Jumwa of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party and Gideon Mung’aro of the ODM party.
Others include George Kithi who is running for the Kilifi County gubernatorial seat under the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), associated with outgoing governor Amason Kingi.
Esposito unsuccessfully contested the Magarini MP seat three times, the first time being during the by-election in which Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi won.
