Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader and presidential aspirant Alfred Mutua has urged the government to uplift marginalised areas such as Eastern and Northeastern.
The Machakos governor said some regions need special attention to improve their economy and livelihoods.
"Some places have lagged behind in development for far too long and require urgent measures to bring them on par with the rest of Kenya," Mutua said.
The presidential hopeful said that despite its fertile land for tea and coffee, Mbeere in Eastern Kenya is underdeveloped.
Mutua spoke in Embu town during his meet-the-people listening tour. He said the national government should expand markets for tea and coffee.
"I am shocked that markets for agricultural products like milk, tea and coffee have continued to deteriorate while the government has done little to address that," he said.
Mutua, who has said he will run for president in 2022, promised to improve global markets for coffee and tea.
"Kenyans are lied to every day in this country and their voices stifled. My presidency will give power to the people because they come first," he said.
He deplored the high rate of unemployment and said he would create jobs for young people, "the backbone of the nation".
The Machakos governor also has condemned the fumigation of schoolgirls in a secondary school - a video is circulating on social media.
Mutua said schoolchildren must not be treated like animals and expressed concern that spraying chemicals on the girls could affect their health.
(Edited by V. Graham)
