Worldcoin Kenya Controversy: Cabinet Secretary Blasted for Inconsistent Statements About Project’s License Status
A Kenyan parliamentary committee tasked with investigating Worldcoin’s actions within the African nation has reportedly censured a authorities official over his inconsistent statements about Worldcoin’s license standing. The committee additionally mentioned it discovered that Worldcoin’s “Orbs” weren’t permitted by the Communications Authority of Kenya as required by legislation.
Worldcoin Allegedly Operated Without a License
The Kenyan parliamentary committee investigating Worldcoin’s actions within the nation not too long ago censured the Kenyan ICT cupboard secretary Eliud Owalo over his earlier pronouncements concerning the crypto venture’s license standing. The committee, chaired by Gabriel Tongoyo, mentioned inconsistencies in Owalo’s assertion issued on Sept. 11 recommend that Worldcoin might have operated for simply over a 12 months with out the requisite license.
As beforehand reported by Bitcoin.com News, Owalo is broadly believed to have initially backed the crypto venture. However, the cupboard secretary later appeared to make an about-face when he accused Worldcoin of not adhering to the necessities of its registration license. In response, the Kenyan parliament launched a committee charged with establishing the information about Worldcoin’s license standing, amongst different issues.
According to a report in The Nation, the parliament committee has now decided that Owalo’s testimony undermines Worldcoin’s license claims.
“In the said submission, the CS [Cabinet Secretary Owalo] noted that Worldcoin started collecting data in public places on May 31, 2021, and applied for registration as data controllers in Kenya on August 22, 2022, one year after commencing their activities in Kenya, contrary to the Data Protection Act of 2019,” the committee wrote in its report.
However, the committee famous that Owalo has denied proclaiming that Worldcoin’s actions within the nation have been above board.
‘Orbs’ Not Approved
Meanwhile, along with the licensing points, the Kenyan parliamentary committee mentioned it additionally discovered that Worldcoin’s eyeball scanning units, or “Orbs,” weren’t permitted by the Communications Authority of Kenya. The committee additional alleged that Worldcoin’s switch and storage of person knowledge to Amazon Web Services servers in South Africa violated part 48 of the Data Protection Act.
Concerning the license standing of Tools for Humanity Corp and Tools for Humanity Gmbh Germany, two corporations behind the Worldcoin venture, the committee mentioned:
“The two companies do not appear in the Business Registration Service database of registered businesses or companies in Kenya and hence lack the legal mandate to transact any business in Kenya according to provisions of the Companies Act, 2015.”
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