The controversy surrounding cryptocurrency project Worldcoin is set to take a new turn with revelations now emerging that some Kenyans who had their eyeballs scanned to register for the currency are now experiencing health issues.
Even more, some of the victims now claim that they were short-changed and did not receive the Ksh.7,000 that had been promised for signing up as a new Worldcoin user but were instead given Ksh.2,000.
Testifying before the National Assembly Ad Hoc Committee of Inquiry into the Worldcoin controversy, Marube Mogusu, one of the witnesses, on Tuesday submitted that after undergoing the scan he started experiencing eye problems and had to seek medical assistance.
“After the scan, my eyes started becoming watery. I have been on prescribed glasses ever since that time. I don’t know if it is a coincidence or it is the world coin scan,” he told the committee.
The witness told the lawmakers that the scan on the eyeballs was meant to ascertain that the user being registered was indeed a human being.
Another witness, Bernard Ayoo says he was in it for the money. He however claims to have been duped.
The committee heard that the users had been promised 70 US dollars (approx. Ksh.7,000) but they eventually only received Ksh.2,000.
“They came to school and registered us. They used Iris scan to verify that you are a human being. Upon verifying that you are a human being, they would give you 25 World coins which is currently equivalent to 70 USD. They promised Ksh.7,000 but I got only Ksh.2,000 on M-Pesa,” said Ayoo.
Bogita Minyega, another student, further told the committee that there was no written consent between the cryptocurrency firm and users to have their eyeballs scanned and private data collected.
“The guys just told me they were doing the scan, and I should receive a grant. I was skeptical but the moment he mentioned money I went ahead,” he said.
The student also submitted that some of those who signed up for Worldcoin are undergoing a lot of social stigma, especially from peers who did not get scanned.
Meanwhile, Central Bank of Kenya Governor Kamau Thugge who also appeared before the committee on Tuesday submitted that CBK did not take part in licensing or clearing the proprietors of Worldcoin.
Njoroge also disclosed that the CBK had no knowledge of Worldcoin’s activities in the country.
The seventeen-member Committee is seeking to establish the linkage between the cryptocurrency trading in the country and Worldcoin’s recent activities with more emphasis on the source of the cash that was being dished to the Kenyans before being subjected to iris scan.
