The government seems to be pretty determined to make good its threat of publishing the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) loan defaulters' credentials in local dailies if the latest development is anything to go buy.
According to a text message that has been sent to a number of the institution's former beneficiaries, Helb is on its way to actualising the threat if the 30-day deadline it issued lapses.
In the text, the institution proves that it carried out its assignment properly and that it knows who, among the recipients of the funds, is employed or not.
Thereafter, probably judging by a student's income, Helb sends a tailored message to the individual with how much money they should have paid by the Saturday, November 30, deadline.
"Greetings! HELB is aware that you are formally employed. Kindly pay at least Kes. 4500 by 30/11/2019 to avoid penalties. MPESA PAYBILL 200800. A/C no is your ID," a text message seen by Kenyans.co.ke reads.
In mid-November, the institution threatened to publish names of defaulters and their photos in local dailies if they failed to settle their loans in time.
A representative from the institution told Kenyans.co.ke at the time, that the board noted had that some of its beneficiaries who had defaulted on their loans were not responding to communication to repay.
"Please take note the names and pictures of HELB loan beneficiaries who have defaulted repayment of the loan from 1975 to date shall be published in the leading newspapers.
"The names will be published after the expiry of 30 days from the date of this notice and thereafter legal action may ensue against each defaulter as stipulated in the HELB Act," stated the notice at the time.
Shortly after the notice was issued, a number of Kenyans responded daring the institution to go ahead and shame them in the dailies claiming that most of them were still unemployed.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino also vowed to fight for the defaulters' rights and urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to write off the loans as the government had for coffee farmers and sugar companies.
