WorldCoin: Kenyans Confess Health Problems After CS Nakhumicha Expose

Less than a week after Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha brought to the limelight the health risks posed by cryptocurrency firm, WorldCoin, some Kenyans have admitted to experiencing health issues.

Revelations emerged on Tuesday, September 5 that some Kenyans who had their eyeballs scanned to register for the firm are now encountering health problems.

Testifying before the National Assembly Ad Hoc Committee of Inquiry into the WorldCoin controversy, one of the witnesses revealed that he began experiencing eye problems that forced him to wear prescriptive glasses after he sought medical attention.

He questioned the occurrence coming after he had undergone the eye scan, adding that his eyes started becoming 'watery'.

"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 WorldCoin 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.

On Thursday, August 31, CS Nakhumicha told MPs investigating WorldCoin that preliminary investigations hinted that the scanners may have exposed Kenyans to health risks.

Kisumu Town East Member of Parliament (MP) Shakeel Shabir had expressed concerns over the health risk posed by WorldCoin when the CS confirmed that indeed some were already affected, adding that the government would be taking a keen interest in the health of those registered.

She however indicated that they were yet to establish the specific health complications, adding that more reports on the same would be released in the future.

“As indicated by Hon Shakeel Shabir, there may be Kenyans out there already experiencing different complications or changes in their bodies after underdoing the scan.

"We would like to urge them to report to the nearest health facilities in order to undergo an in-depth examination,” she stated.

"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 Ksh7,000 but I got only Ksh2,000," another witness added.

The committee was further informed that there was no written consent between the cryptocurrency firm and users to have their eyeballs scanned and private data collected.

The student also submitted that some of those who signed up for WorldCoin were subjected to a lot of social stigma, especially from peers who did not get scanned, with rumours swirling regarding a possible scam within WorldCoin.

On his part, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Kamau Thugge who also appeared before the committee submitted that CBK did not take part in licensing or clearing the proprietors of WorldCoin, adding that CBK had no knowledge of Worldcoin’s activities in the country.

With the revelations, the 17-member committee is seeking to establish the link between cryptocurrency trading in the country and Worldcoin's recent activities, with the focus shifting to the source of the cash promised to Kenyans before undergoing the scan.