No Use of Cops to Track Down Loan Defaulters, HELB Says

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has clarified that police officers will not be used to track down loan defaulters as earlier stated by Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

HELB Chief Executive Officer Charles Ringera says the board will use its own officers to pursue the defaulters, especially those who are employed.

Ringera explains that reports that the body would use the police to crack down on defaulters were taken out of context.

“Law enforcement means the use of people like us; section 15 of the HELB Act sub-section (2) gives the board the mandate to use its own inspectors to pursue those who have intentionally refused to pay back their loans, yet they have jobs,” Ringera says.

During a function in Nairobi on Wednesday, CS Amina was quoted saying that the crackdown would be conducted by cops.

“We are also going to partner with our law enforcement agencies to track down those holding jobs and yet are reluctant to stand up to be counted as responsible and patriotic citizens who honor their debts,” Mohamed said.

She added: "This will include tracking graduates working in enterprises such as mobile transfer services like M-Pesa, Airtel Money and other emerging jobs. We hope by doing we will increase the resources that are available to HELB to support others."

Her remarks have sparked outrage from graduates who are yet to secure employment after acquiring degrees.

About 74,000 loan defaulters owe HELB more than Sh7.2 billion.

Ringera said HELB would also partner with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to track defaulters in the diaspora.

“We are having a large number of graduates leaving the country to work abroad majority who have defaulted,” Ringera said.