A July 13 meeting at State House addressed development and the low number of residents obtaining IDs and registering as voters in North Eastern counties.
Garissa Governor Nathif Jama said President William Ruto asked leaders from Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit and Isiolo to explain why many citizens still lack IDs despite the government scrapping the application system.
"The president told us we are still not encouraging our people to get IDs and register to vote. We left that meeting feeling ashamed," Jama said.
IEBC estimates show Garissa will have only 258,926 voters in 2027, a figure that does not match the county's population of over one million. Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said leaders were directed to increase registrations and send officers to secondary schools.
A source who attended the meeting said the President gave the leaders three months to raise the number of registered IDs and voters.