Babu Owino Issue Demonstration Threat Over HELB Release Delay
Babu Owino, the Member of Parliament for Embakasi East, has made a passionate demand for the immediate disbursement of funds by the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to students in a video statement that garnered attention from Kenyans.
Owino expressed deep concern over the suffering of students who lack the necessary funds to meet their basic needs, including food, accommodation, and transportation. These hardships have arisen due to the delayed release of HELB funds, preventing students from paying their fees and attending classes.
In his appeal, Owino called upon Treasury CS Prof. Ndung’u to work closely with HELB to expedite the funds’ distribution. He stressed the urgency of the situation and the need to ensure that there are no further delays in providing the much-needed financial support to students across different universities.
Acknowledging the limitations of the available funding, Owino emphasized that any additional delays are unjustified and urged swift action.
Additionally, Owino called upon student leaders nationwide to be proactive in advocating for the release of funds and to take on their responsibilities to represent their constituents effectively. He encouraged them to organize peaceful demonstrations and engage in advocacy to address pressing student issues while cautioning against property damage during protests.
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Owino advised students not to resort to damaging school or public property but to conduct peaceful daily protests to make their concerns heard effectively.
Notably, before his parliamentary role, Owino served as the president of the Kenya Universities Students Organization (KUSO), during which he highlighted that HELB funds were disbursed on time.
Antony Manyara, the current president of KUSO, indicated that HELB had committed to releasing the funds and assured payment by the following Monday after discussions with Education CS Honorable Ezekiel Machogu and University Education & Research PS Dr. Beatrice Inyangala.
HELB declined to comment on the situation.
Babu Owino Issue Demonstration Threat Over HELB Release Delay
