The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) now says it will not send law enforcement officers to arrest loan defaulters as earlier suggested by its Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Monari.
In a statement on Saturday, May 31, the Loans Board also distanced itself from reports purporting that it was planning to use chiefs to hunt the defaulters and their guarantors.
According to HELB, repaying the loan is one’s initiative, reiterating that it would not use escalatory measures, which include the arrest of defaulters, to recover its money.
"HELB is not sending law enforcement officers after loan defaulters. This is a call to your heart, not your fear," HELB dismissed the claims, terming them fake.
"When you repay your loan, you’re not just clearing a debt, you’re giving another Kenyan the chance to learn, grow, and rise. Let’s lift each other, one dream at a time," it added.
In its statement, the Board also refuted allegations that it was planning to publish a list containing the names of all defaulters and their identification numbers in major newspapers.
HELB's clarification comes against the backdrop of a backlash from several Kenyans who accused the agency of attempting to use intimidatory tactics to forcefully recover their funds.
The Board, through its CEO, Monari, yesterday told the National Assembly's Public Investment Committee that it would be taking decisive action against the defaulters.
Monari, in his presentation to the MPs, revealed a planned strategy to improve the Board’s finances through a concerted loan recovery effort, which included using law enforcement officers to recover the funds.
According to him, the Board was planning to partner with law enforcement agencies to track graduates, both local and abroad, who are gainfully employed but have not begun servicing their loans.
“This is not just about finance. It’s about fostering a sense of responsibility and patriotism among those who have benefited from the fund," he told the lawmakers.
The Committee members challenged HELB to intensify efforts in community outreach through advertising, showcasing real-life testimonials from beneficiaries, and pursuing external resource mobilisation beyond government capitation.
