The U.S. government has attempted to persuade Kenyan officials to lift the suspension of Worldcoin’s operations in the country, but these overtures have been rejected, the Kenyan Interior cabinet secretary has said. The Kenyan government is also considering restricting officials’ use of the social media platform Tiktok.
Kenya Resists US Government’s Lobbying for Worldcoin, Considers Limiting Use of Tiktok
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No Review of the Suspension Decision
The Kenyan government has reportedly resisted pressure from the U.S. to rescind the suspension of Worldcoin’s activities in the country. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said the suspension will remain in effect, with no review of the decision being contemplated.
Kindiki disclosed the U.S. government’s lobbying efforts on behalf of Worldcoin during a session with the Kenyan parliament’s Committee on Public Petitions. The push from the U.S. government for Worldcoin to resume its operations came more than six months after the cryptocurrency project was banned.
“The United States has been pushing the government on the issues of Worldcoin, but we have remained adamant and firm. They (U.S.) think that they (Worldcoin) still have a case to set up their activities here. We have remained adamant and the decision we took will remain. We are not going to review the suspension,” Kindiki said.
Before the most recent lobbying effort, the U.S. had intervened on behalf of Worldcoin when Kenyan authorities briefly detained the cryptocurrency project’s executives as they were preparing to leave the country.
As reported by Bitcoin.com News, U.S. officials maintained that the two executives, Alex Blania and Thomas Scott, had not committed any actions to justify their arrest. The officials reportedly offered to make Blania and Scott available to Kenyan authorities as and when needed.
Kenyan Government Considers Limiting Officials’ Use of Tiktok
Meanwhile, in the same parliament address, the Kenyan Interior Cabinet Secretary also told lawmakers that his government is considering ways to restrict the activities of the social media platform Tiktok in the country. He added that the government is exploring the possibility of prohibiting government officials from using Tiktok to protect sensitive data.
However, Kindiki suggested that taking action against Tiktok might not be as straightforward as it was with Worldcoin.
“This matter is so complex, so consequential that it is not easy to look in one direction and decide whether to ban Tiktok or not. The petition raises very grave issues. The issues are at the heart of [the] security and safety of our people,” Kindiki said.
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