HELB CEO issues instructions to beneficiaries struggling to clear loans
By Kiprono Keileb, September 30, 2025Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Monari has defended the listing of defaulters, saying it will not affect students who are genuinely struggling but will instead target those who can pay but fail to do so.
Speaking during a talk show aired by a local television station on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Monari explained that the board has observed three distinct categories among former students.
“There are three categories of former students: those with no means and want to pay, those who have means and don’t want to pay, and a third category who have means to pay, are willing to pay, but don’t know how to pay,” he explained
Instructions to those struggling
The HELB boss said the board is aware that it takes time for graduates to secure a stable income, noting that the loan system is not designed to punish those without jobs.
“It takes an average of five years for a student to get meaningful employment if they are looking for it,” Monari stated.
He went further to direct that those who remain jobless for a decade should come forward and explain their situation.
“Anyone who has stayed ten years should come and tell us they are not able to pay,” he instructed, emphasising that genuine hardship cases would not be ignored.
Loan listing and its impact
Monari also clarified how the loan listing process works and its real impact on borrowers.
“Individuals will only know that they have been listed when they go to a bank to get a facility, meaning if that person wants a facility, they must have income,” he explained.
According to him, those who have no income or have not sought financial services will not be directly affected. “Listing won’t affect anyone,” he stressed, underscoring that the measure is mainly aimed at ensuring compliance among those with steady income streams but unwilling to repay.
Monari’s remarks come amid heated debate on how HELB manages loan recovery and the impact on young graduates navigating a difficult job market. His defence sought to reassure struggling beneficiaries while insisting that accountability must remain central to the sustainability of the loan fund.