The Worldcoin project faces a new hurdle in Kenya, as the government establishes a 15-member parliamentary committee to probe the contentious digital asset.
The 15-member committee, led by Gabriel Tongoyo, the Member of Parliament for Narok West, will scrutinise the contentious crypto project. It was reported that this parliamentary committee has been given a 40-day window to conduct its investigation and present its findings to the House committee.
The investigation follows Kenya’s suspension of Worldcoin’s operations nearly three weeks ago when the project failed to adhere to government directives to cease scanning users’ iris data.
Worldcoin is a crypto venture centred on digital IDs and offering its native currency, WLD coin, in exchange for iris scans, made a tumultuous debut marked by both controversy and fervour. During its trial phase, the project managed to attract almost 2 million users. Nevertheless, as it expanded to the public across more than a dozen countries, numerous reports surfaced about its contentious methods. This led governments in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Germany, and Kenya to launch investigations into the project.
Kithure Kindiki, the Interior Cabinet Secretary who played a pivotal role in suspending Worldcoin operations, informed the House committee that the government is deeply troubled by Worldcoin’s actions, specifically the registration of citizens and the collection of iris data, all of which he asserts pose significant security threats.
The Worldcoin project is encountering comprehensive resistance from multiple regulatory authorities in Kenya. The court has taken action following a case filed by the Office of the Data Commissioner, suspending Worldcoin’s operations and mandating the preservation of all data collected by Worldcoin from April last year to August 2023 until the lawsuit concludes.