President Ruto Meets WorldCoin Founder Sam Altman During US Tech Visit
President William Ruto conferred with WorldCoin’s CEO, Sam Altman, during his investment tour of the United States.
A video excerpt shared by Fernandes Benjamin on X Formerly Twitter revealed that the President met with Altman in San Francisco, California on Friday, September 15, during the Kenya-US Business Roadshow organized by the U.S. Government’s Prosper Africa initiative and the U.S. Embassy of Kenya.
In August, WorldCoin was criticized for detecting the irises of Kenyans in exchange for a Ksh7,000 token.
Members of the Kenyan Parliament initiated an investigation into the global corporation after discovering that it operated illegally in Kenya and collected data for questionable purposes.
While the Head of State has yet to disclose the agenda for their meeting, Kenyans have raised concerns that the meeting could result in the return of WorldCoin to Kenya.
Ruto Visits San Francisco
During the tour, Ruto lauded Kenya’s potential to develop innovative technologies, particularly in collaboration with American companies such as Apple, Google, Meta, and WorldCoin.
“Kenya has plenty of opportunities to offer American technology and manufacturing companies, particularly its potential as a vital African base and prime center for tech, manufacturing, connectivity, infrastructure development, and garment fabrication.
“Our strong pool of innovative, skilled, and energetic workforce is able and ready to power the expansion of these companies across the African continent,” he stated during the meeting with technology executives.
WorldCoin Challenges
Locally, WorldCoin faces legal challenges as a result of revelations that the company was operating in the country illegally and harvesting data without the necessary authorizations.
The Ministry of ICT, which was caught off guard by WorldCoin’s activities, informed Parliamentarians on Monday, September 11, that the company had illegally partnered with local companies to collect data.
A multi-agency committee investigating the company’s activities in the country recommended a one-year suspension of its operations and the freezing of its assets.
Consequently, Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait recommended that the company’s data collection tools be subjected to forensic analysis in the specified conditions.
“The company will be allowed to operate once it allows for a security audit, allows the government access to the data, registers with the Business Registration Services (BRS) as well, and establishes a local representative,” Kassait stated.
Ruto led a roadshow in California that highlighted the business and investment opportunities in Kenya’s burgeoning technology sector. The Head of State seeks partnerships with American companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, Kyosk, and SunCulture, among others.
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The event, held at the Mission Bay Conference Center, was part of a three-city US-Kenya Roadshow excursion highlighting business and investment opportunities in Kenya.
“Nairobi also has a vibrant technology community known as the Silicon Savannah and the Kenyan government is committed to establishing Nairobi as the premier destination for tech sector investment and innovation in Africa,” U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman noted.
“These are many of the reasons why global businesses are considering or should consider, Africa – and specifically Kenya – for trade and investment opportunities.”
According to Whitman, the technology ecosystem in Kenya is already thriving, with one of the continent’s greatest rates of venture capital investment.
President Ruto Meets WorldCoin Founder Sam Altman During US Tech Visit