Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has called on the Higher Education Loans Board to release funds to students immediately.
In a video statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Owino noted that students are suffering because they have no money to cater for their needs
“Comrades are very hungry and angry at the same time. Students cannot go to class because HELB has not been released hence cannot pay fees,” Owino stated.
“Students cannot buy food…cannot afford accommodation because there is no money. Students cannot get money for transport…”
The parliamentarian called on the Treasury CS Prof. Ndung’u to work with HELB and release the funds soon
“Move with speed and release money to comrades in various universities. HELB must never delay. This money is very little and it is never sufficient and furthermore you are delaying it,” he urged.
Furthermore, Owino called on student leaders across the country to wake up and agitate for the release of the funds.
“Student leaders you are sleeping. You are wasting the constituents who elected you…You must wake up, you must come out, you must call for demonstrations,” he noted.
He urged the student leaders to take these measures to ensure that disbursement of HELB funds does not delay further. In addition, he cautioned against destroying property while holding demonstrations.
“Never destroy school property…never destroy any property of the public. Just hold peaceful demonstrations and let it be on a daily basis,” Owino advised.
Owino, who was president of the Kenya Universities Students Organization (KUSO) before being elected to parliament, said that during his tenure HELB funds were released on time.
The current president of KUSO, Antony Manyara had earlier said that the Higher Education Loans Board had agreed to allocate the funds today, Friday, and pay the money by next week Monday.
Manyara claims he got confirmation of the funds release following communication with Education CS, Hon. Ezekiel Machogu, and University Education & Research PS, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala.
HELB has declined to comment on the matter.
