RUTO’s Government issues update on deletion of Kenyans’ biometric data collected by Worldcoin amid privacy concerns

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 - The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has issued a fresh update on the handling of Kenyans’ personal data previously collected by Worldcoin‑linked entity, Tools For Humanity.

In a notice released on Tuesday, January 20^th, 2026, the ODPC confirmed that all biometric data gathered from Kenyan citizens has now been permanently deleted.

“Regarding the processing of Kenyans’ personal data by Tools For Humanity, we confirm that the Data Controller has deleted all biometric data previously collected from Kenyan citizens.”

“The Office remains dedicated to enforcing the law, protecting data subjects, and ensuring that all data controllers and processors are held accountable for any non‑compliance,” the statement read.

This development follows a landmark ruling by the High Court of Kenya in May 2025, where Lady Justice Aburili Roselyne found that Worldcoin Foundation had collected data without adhering to the country’s data protection laws.

The court ordered the immediate deletion of all biometric data within seven days, with Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait tasked to oversee the process.

Additionally, the court prohibited Worldcoin from further processing or collecting biometric data without conducting a proper Data Protection Impact Assessment, as required under Section 31 of the Data Protection Act, 2019.

The ruling came after a petition filed by Katiba Institute, which questioned the legality of Worldcoin’s operations in Kenya and raised concerns about consent obtained through cryptocurrency inducements.

The Kenyan DAILY POST