Shock as HELB threatens to publish the names and photos of 85000 defaulters
An uproar escalated among Kenyans in social media when Higher Education Loans Board(HELB) released a notice that it has given 30 days for 85000 defaulters who failed to service Ksh 50B since 1975- Date to clear their loans within the allocated time.
HELB notice and threats has come as a shock to most Kenyans as such shame threats haven’t been noticed before.
HELB also stated that the images and names of the loan defaulters will be published and embarrass in national newspapers.
A heated debate followed in social media where most of the Kenyans condemned HELBS statement complaining that most youths were unemployed and they have been surviving on informal hustles to make ends meet.
“When Umuofia Progressive Union funded Michael Obi Okonkwo’s education in England he came back to Nigeria, got a good job & was repaying his loan. In Kenya, the youths who secured the HELB LOANS have no jobs, they are hopeless & desperate. Do they want to pickpocket naked men? ” posed one of KOT
Others supported the move like a popular blogger in twitter, Xtian Dela tried justifying HELBs move and urged the loan defaulters to pay but he received online backlash from angry defaulters and other concerned Kenyans.
“I fully support HELB!!… Guys running to take HELB just to blow it away on parte after parte and now want us to feel sorry for them? Fuck Nooo!! Put up their pics, ID number even house number na deni za mama mboga anika. Dawa ya deni ni kulipa” he wrote on tweeter
Most of them pointed out that he has been privilege throughout his university and he wouldn’t understand what the common Wananchi go through in search of these degrees.
” insensitivity of the highest order. You have no idea how the struggle to go through campus was like. HELB+CDF paid fee and ensures I was in class entire 4 years. You should be thankful that you didn’t require HELB” reads one of the reaction.
More Kenyans have been expressing their disgust and mocking HELB for their move. It is not clear whether the move is final or it is a tactic to make the defaulters clear the loan. According to HELB, the 85000 Kenyans who failed to clear the loan have 30 days to repay or appear on the newspapers.
