A section of youths from Bungoma County has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to waver all the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) dues they owe. Speaking to the press, they said it seems the government has failed in its endeavor to create jobs for the youths and that’s why they are hunting them down. Through the group’s chairperson Wafula Wakoli, they faulted Education CS Amina Mohamed, saying that no one should be arrested for failing to clear their HELB loan, adding that the Ministry should instead come up with ways of creating jobs for the youths in the country so that they can pay off their loans.
Wakoli also asked President Kenyatta to ensure HELB beneficiaries get opportunities in government institutions, even if its in the form of internships, so that they can facilitate their repayment process. He said government institutions which are expected to give employment opportunities to young Kenyans have failed and is a clear indication of how the government is unwilling to pave the way for those who are debtors to clear with HELB. Some of the beneficiaries have stated how HELB has frustrated them, citing high interest rates. They’ve also said the unemployment rate is high and the problem should be solved.
By Thadeus Wachiye
