Fafi MP Salah Yakub has asked President William Ruto to appoint an expert who will directly advise him on matters bedevilling residents of North Eastern Kenya.
The MP said such an office will be best placed to be the quick link between the executive and other arms of government for better service delivery.
The UDA MP believes that issues such as insecurity brought by Al-Shabaab and inter-clan fighting, drought and famine, issues on refugee settlement, matters on education crisis, immigration and contraband goods along the border can best be tackled by such an office.
Yakub said the officeholder will have direct access to the President and political leaders from the region in order to adequately address issues affecting the residents in the region.
He said the Kenya Kwanza government made many campaign pledges to the region and that the office will be best placed to fast-track their implementation.
"As UDA, we want a special martial plan for Northern Kenya in terms of Education, Security, Drought flood, empowering youth and the Economy in the area," said the MP.
He said the region is sitting on minerals and expansive land for farming.
"We are not saying that Northern Kenya should be treated differently from the rest of the country, but challenges facing the region need personal attention from the president given that we have lagged behind since independence," noted the Fafi lawmaker.
He was speaking in Bura East town when he issued bursary cheques to secondary schools in the areas under the zero-school programme that he launched early this year.
Yakub said that when Ruto was Deputy President he had a special advisor on Northern Kenya matters and the arrangement worked well and their issues used to be addressed in real time.
The MP said that the region has a lot of potential that remains unexploited but was quick to express optimism that the Ruto-led administration will fully exploit the potential.
"This is one region that is sitting on minerals, this area has the gem for land, very expensive parcels of land for farming," he said.
He says that he is determined to make sure that the zero fees program succeeds, thanking the school heads for heading to his appeal not to send students with school fees arrears back home.
Yakub said that among the issues that they want seriously addressed include education, security, infrastructure and agriculture which he noted calls for a special martial plan.
He disclosed that 35 students from his constituency who recently joined the Garissa teacher's college will have their fees paid from the CDF kitty.
