HELB Issues 7-Day Repayment Ultimatum to Loan Defaulters.
The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has launched a campaign to recover millions in unpaid loans from former beneficiaries. In a notice issued on Tuesday, March 25, several Kenyans were informed that they had seven days to initiate their loan repayment process.
HELB warned that failure to comply would result in guarantors being contacted to assume responsibility for the outstanding debt. Despite multiple reminders through Short Message Service (SMS), many borrowers had not begun repaying their loans and remained in default.
To facilitate repayment, HELB advised defaulters to dial *642# on their phones and follow the instructions or visit the HELB portal. The board emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating that guarantors would be engaged within the seven-day period if payments were not initiated. Contact options, including email and phone support, were also provided for inquiries.
HELB adopted this strict approach as a last resort, following repeated failures by defaulters to respond to previous warnings. Many borrowers, however, have attributed their inability to repay loans to unemployment, urging HELB to extend the grace period to allow them time to secure jobs.
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Limited-Time Waiver Offer
The ultimatum was issued a day after the Loans Board announced an 80 per cent waiver on penalties for those who settled their loans in full. In a notice dated Monday, March 24, HELB encouraged defaulters to take advantage of the offer by reaching out through its official communication channels.
While the waiver was presented as a unique opportunity, the board did not specify the deadline for eligibility, leaving borrowers with limited time to act.
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