The National Assembly Committee investigating Worldcoin operations in Kenya kicked off the inquiry on Tuesday, August 29.The committee led by Narok West MP Hon Gabriel Tongoyo commenced investigations on Tuesday, August 29, with submissions from the Head of Cyber-security Standards and Policy, David Njoka.
Office of the Director of Computer and Cyber Crime revealed to the committee that since November 2022, the cryptocurrency firm engaged 11 companies in Kenya.
Head of Cyber-security Standards and Policy David Njoka warned that the data collected from the 350,000 Kenyans is not safe.
The committee was notified that Worldcoin engaged 11 companies in the country since November 2022 to carry out its activities. Office of the Director of Computer and Cyber Crime told the National Assembly Committee probing the matter that the companies hired casual agents and trained them to assist Kenyans download the app and scan their eyes.
The report by Njoka revealed that the cryptocurrency firm’s operations were coordinated by local companies registered as Platinum De Plus Limited, EXP Kenya and Sense Marketing owned by Wangechi Maina and Rael Mwende, respectively. According to the office, the platform registered 350,000 Kenyans, taking 25% of the company’s global subscribers (2.1 million people) since its launch. Worldcoin targeted eight million people worldwide in a project aimed at creating a universal global economy.
The platform said the data collected from the iris scan will be transferred to the Amazon servers based in the US. Njoka however noted that the data collected posses a great risk since its usage is still unkown.Worldcoin launched in Kenya on Monday, July 24, offering free tokens of 25WLD or KSh 7,000 to Kenyans scanning their eyeballs.
