Former Kilifi County Executive Committee Member Alphonce Mwambura Tokali has passed away, nearly eight years after he left his job in the public service.
Tokali's passing was confirmed by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who hailed him as a public servant who worked with "utmost diligence and respect".
"I'm deeply saddened by the demise of Hon. Prof. Alphonce Tokali, former Kilifi County Executive Committee Member (2013-2017)," Kingi said in a statement.
"Waziri Prof. Tokali served the people of Kilifi County with unwavering zeal and utmost diligence and contributed immensely to the development of Kilifi County."
Kingi was familiar with Tokali, particularly because the deceased formed part of his county government, having served as a County Executive Committee Member from 2013 to 2017, when Kingi served his first term as Kilifi County governor.
Notably, Tokali served at an integral political time in the country, when power was transferring from the national to county governments.
During his tenure as the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Trade, Industrialisation, Co-operatives Development, Tourism, and Wildlife, Tokali was largely considered a humble servant of the people, as he never shied away from going to the ground to understand the county's needs from the locals' perspective.
His tenure saw the birth of several initiatives aimed at improving local tourism. Many still remember him as the brainchild behind the Miss Tourism Kilifi pageant, which aimed at showcasing the county's culture and natural resources.
Beyond his work at the county level, Tokali was also a 'learned friend' and served as a lecturer at Pwani University.
His rich educational background helped his cause in public service, and he was a great advocate of evidence-based policies.
Among those mourning him was his daughter, who celebrated Tokali not just as a public figure but as a loving father and role model.
"A great man you were. Thank you for being the greatest dad – a role model to us, your children, and an inheritance in your great name. Rest in peace, Alphonce Mwambura Tokali. Proud to be your daughter. Rest in peace, papa," she wrote in a heartfelt message shared online.
