With fresh information showing that some Kenyans who had their eyes scanned to register for the currency are now having health problems, the debate surrounding the cryptocurrency project Worldcoin is about to take a new turn.
Furthermore, some of those who were hurt now complain that they were mistreated and only received Ksh. 2,000 instead of the Ksh. 7,000 they were supposed to receive for signing up as new Worldcoin users.
One of the witnesses, Marube Mogusu, testified on Tuesday before the National Assembly Ad Hoc Committee of Inquiry into the Worldcoin incident that he began experiencing eye difficulties after having the scan and had to get medical help.
“My eyes started to moisten after the scan. Since then, I have been wearing glasses as directed.” He told the committee, “I don’t know if it’s an unforeseen occurrence or if it’s the global coin scan.”
The eyeball scan, according to the witness, was done to verify that the individual who was registering was, in fact, a human being.
Bernard Ayoo, a different witness, claims that he just did it for the money. But he asserts that he was deceived.
The committee was informed that although the users had been promised 70 US dollars (or around 7,000 Ksh), they ultimately only received 2,000 Ksh.
“They arrived and registered us at the school. To confirm that you are a real person, they used an iris scan. They would offer you 25 world coins, which are now worth 70 USD, after confirming that you are a person. They offered me Ksh 7,000, but I only received Ksh 2,000 on M-Pesa, ” said Ayoo.
Another student, Bogita Minyega, further informed the committee that there was no formal agreement between the cryptocurrency company and customers authorising the scanning of their eyes and the collection of their personal information.
“The men just informed me that they were doing the scan and that I should be awarded a grant. I was hesitant, but I went along when he brought up money,” he stated.
The student also said that some Worldcoin signups are dealing with a lot of social shame, particularly from colleagues who were not scanned.
In the meantime, Kamau Thugge, governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, who testified before the committee on Tuesday, said that the CBK did not participate in authorising or approving the owners of Worldcoin.
Njoroge also said that the CBK was unaware of Worldcoin’s operations in the nation.
The seventeen-member Committee is attempting to connect the dots between current Worldcoin actions and cryptocurrency trade in the nation, with a particular focus on where the money coming to the Kenyans came from before they were exposed to iris scans.
