Gov't to Launch Crackdown on 74,000 HELB Loan Defaulters, Including Those in the Diaspora

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed has announced that the government will use police officers to track down those who have defaulted on the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loan.

CS Amina says that the crackdown targets more than 74,000 loan defaulters who owe the agency over Sh7.2 billion.

Speaking on Wednesday, Amina said the authorities will look for the defaulters in various organizations in addition to tracking their mobile cash transactions.

“Law enforcement agencies will follow up on loan defaulters and track graduates who are working in various organizations. We will also track mobile transactions,” said CS Amina.

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."

"We want them to become reliable and responsible citizens by repaying their debts," Amina said.

HELB CEO Charles Ringera says they will partner with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to also track defaulters in the diaspora.

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

The two spoke during the launch of HELB 2019-2023 strategic plan in which they have projected a budget of Sh90.7 billion.