SCOTTISH University, Heriot Watt, says President Hakainde Hichilema’s transformative stewardship exemplifies the virtues of dedication, resilience and foresight.
In conferring an honorary Doctorate of the University on the Head of State on Thursday at the University’s Edinburgh Business School, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Williams said outstanding leadership is measured through its impact on society.
He said that no society could flourish where the greater part is poor and miserable.
Prof. William said that education is the key that unlocks the pathway for society to flourish.
He noted that President Hichilema had experienced the privilege and journey of education and has unlocked the pathway to education for a whole nation through his personal mission to provide free education for all, in Zambia.
“It is with great honour that the Heriot Watt University bestows an honorary doctorate upon Hakainde Hichilema, the President of Zambia.”
He described the President as a “distinguished leader whose profound journey from business acumen to transformative stewardship exemplifies the virtues of dedication, resilience and foresight”.
He noted that Zambia and Scotland have had a special relationship for a century and a half with Heriot Watt contributing to that journey.
Prof. William said President Hichilema has demonstrated outstanding leadership in business in various capacities, notably serving as the chief executive officer for Coopers and Lybrand Zambia from 1994 to 1998 and later as chief executive officer of Grant Thornton Zambia from 1998 to 2006.
He noted that his views and expertise have been curved through his life as farmer, businessman, entrepreneur, and key roles in investment, and as director of over a dozen corporations and organisations and lately as a national leader.
“His leadership in all these roles has been characterised by his creation of strategic growth initiative and robust ethical management practices. His pathway to the Presidency was neither direct nor devoid of hardship. His resolve was tested through trials of imprisonment on allegations of treason and being subjected to torture,” he said.
Prof. William said the President was finally released following representation from numerous local and global leaders and prayers of many people around the world.
“His unwavering demand for democratic processes and transparency was at the heart of these tribulations, and it has emerged as a symbol of resistance and hope, galvanising public support for governance reform,” he said.
“The university, especially wishes to acknowledge our graduand’s personal leadership as a business performer and his pervasive ethical principles, in particular his achievement of the progressive change in education.”
Prof. William noted that President Hichilema had taken the education of the common man seriously and had opened pathways for all Zambians to have opportunity for quality education.
Prof. William noted that increasing local development spending through the Constituency Development Fund had led to the construction of hundreds of new schools, with his free education policy leading to over 1.6 million young people entering education who otherwise might not have been able to afford it.
He also said the recruitment of over 39,000 teachers in two years is an incredible achievement.
Prof. William said Heriot Watt University acknowledges not only his past achievements but also as a leader who continues to inspire, innovate, and instill hope in many hearts.
“Your life and work resonates with the ethos of Heriot Watt University, a dedication to building sustainable knowledgeable and a just society,” he said.
“It is now my pleasure to present to you, in the name of the university and by the authority of Senate, in recognition for services to the economic advancement of Zambia and its citizens, enabling citizens’ access to education and to the revitalisation of international trade, I will confer the honorary degree of Doctor of the University on Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia.”
And the President said he accepted the award on behalf of his children, wife and Zambians who continue to believe in the power of education.
He said education is the greatest equaliser, best investment and inheritance “to our children and genetic material after us”.
President Hichilema said education lifted him from a small village in Zambia into the international arena and later to the Presidency. He said education is a human right.
The Head of State said without education, there was no chance for him and that he resolved to make education free upon assuming government.
President Hichilema invited graduates, professors, associates and academic leaders of Heriot Watt University to support Zambia’s efforts to avert hunger arising from the current drought situation.
“It is our responsibility to encourage climate change justice for marginalised groups while we utilise the best technology and research from this university and elsewhere,” President Hichilema said.
“We can only continue to invest in education, health, social justice when we have the economic capabilities to do so.”
President Hichilema said his focus is on economic transformation and success.
He said that as Zambia had restructured its debt and had become the first country under the G20 global framework to qualify for a debt restructuring, he would like other countries “to walk the difficult steps we have walked”.
He thanked the UK government for supporting Zambia in its debt restructuring process.
And the President noted that through Heriot Watt’s Go-Global initiative, students were being exposed to a variety of cultures and experiences.
“We believe in the fundamentals that when we are able to know each other better, we are able to work together more effectively. With this greater understanding of our fellow men and women around the world, we create peace together, an ingredient necessary for the economic prosperity that we all aspire to have in our countries,” he said.
“What we do in our small communities affects others in another, miles and miles away. We know the Ukraine/ Russia war is affecting all of us, so we must do good to our communities. Let’s walk out there to do good for society. When we do good for society, our own good will be taken care of.”