Thousands of hopeful Kenyans, eager to benefit from the Ksh7,000 offered by cryptocurrency company Worldcoin, were left disappointed when security officers turned them away on Tuesday, August 1.
Kenyans had turned up in large numbers at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to undergo an eye-scanning registration process.
With the high cost of living pushing many Kenyans into despair, the prospect of receiving the Ksh7,000 token drew a massive crowd to the KICC as early as 6:00 AM.
However, the registration exercise was halted by the government due to security concerns.
Security officials were overwhelmed by the high number of Kenyans crowding at Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and ordered the registration to be immediately terminated.
KICC's location within the vicinity of critical government structures and institutions raised security concerns. Many of these institutions require individuals to obtain clearance before accessing their premises.
The Worldcoin team shared that they received instructions from the police officers to find larger venues that would not pose security threats to the surrounding critical government installations.
In response, the Worldcoin team was considering relocating the registration exercise to Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums. These larger venues have the capacity to accommodate large crowds without posing security risks to critical government structures.
Kenyans who had turned up for the registration were informed that a new registration exercise would take place on Wednesday, July 3, giving them another opportunity to participate.
Since its launch, Worldcoin has experienced significant interest, registering over 2.1 million people globally. Notably, 350,000 Kenyans have already signed up for the Worldcoin platform, indicating the widespread interest in the cryptocurrency offering within the country.
Following the interruption of the registration exercise at KICC by the police, Worldcoin's website indicated a decrease in activity within the country.
Prior to this incident, on Friday, July 28, The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) issued a cautionary statement to Kenyans, advising them to be cautious about sharing their personal information with the cryptocurrency company over data safety concerns.
Despite the cautionary advice, some Kenyans could not resist the allure of the Ksh7,000 registration token. The ODPC advised them to at least inquire about the company's data usage policies and ensure they are aware of how their personal information will be handled and protected.
Worldcoin in an earlier statement revealed that the purpose of this eye-scanning process was to verify the authenticity of users, ensuring that only real human beings could utilise the platform.
