Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino now wants President Uhuru Kenyatta to write off Sh6.8 billion HELB loan debts owed by former university graduates.
In a passionate appeal to President Uhuru on Friday, Owino argued that the President has been writing off debts owned to national institutions including Kenya Airways among others.
"Since taking office in 2013, H. E Uhuru Kenyatta’s Government has written off over KES 2.4 billion shillings in debts owed by coffee farmers and most recently, the Government secured a KES 20 billion facility to write off debts owed by national carrier Kenya Airways," Owino argued.
According to him, writing off the debts will enable former graduates who have failed to secure employment get back on track for the benefit of the country.
He said many graduates are languishing in poverty given tough requirements such as getting HELB loan clearance certificates, police and EACC clearance which require money.
"It is common practice for this Government to write off debts in areas with significant impact on the national economy. I put forward that nothing has greater impact on the national economy than unemployment.
"And one of the biggest contributors to unemployment is the inability of young people to get jobs due to HELB debts and numerous other requirements such as Police Clearance Certificate, EACC Certificate and so on that all cost money," he said.
The former University of Nairobi student leader said Uhuru should consider the request in 2019/20 for the sake of thousands of Kenyans languishing in poverty.
"The total National HELB debt currently stands at KES 6.8B. In comparison to the coffee debt & the KQ debt,the impact of HELB loan write off will b felt across the nation in all segments of society.I therefore make this appeal to H.E the President to kindly consider this request in the next financial year for the sake of all Kenyans," he added.
There were fears early this year when former Education minister Amina Mohammed threatened to have defaulters arrested by the police. HELB has since denied the claims.