HH, degrees and titles: What is in a name?
President Hakainde Sammy Hichilema - Picture by Chellah Tukuta Photography
By Charles Kakoma
Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, has five Doctorate Degrees.
Wow! What an achievement.
His first doctorate degree was from Valley View University in Ghana in 2023 after becoming Zambian President.
He was awarded the degree for his commitment to democracy, freedom and christian faith.
Many people, including media houses, were excited and started calling him Dr. Hakainde Hichilema.
As a recipient of the degree, he refused to be referred to as Dr. Hakainde Hichilema.
He preferred to be called Mr. Hakainde Hichilema. He also guided people that he preferred to be called Mr. President and not His Excellency the President.
In 2024, The Heriot Watt University in Scotland awarded Hakainde Hichilema a Doctorate Degree. Some people started thinking about the issue again.
So, even bazungu from Europe had recognized HH and awarded him a doctorate degree? This should be a serious matter.
Before the dust could settle, the University of Zambia proceeded to award HH a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration in the same year, 2024.
The following year in 2025, Mulungushi University in Zambia awarded HH a Doctorate Degree in Agribusiness.
To crown it all, this week,the Zambia Center for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS) University awarded HH another Doctorate Degree in Effective Leadership.
The question is: what have all the professors and doctors from all these universities seen in HH to award him the doctorate degrees?
Well, I guess they had concluded that even if HH was to study or submit his dissertation for a PHD at their university, he would still pass.
After all, HH already has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration (with merit) from the University of Zambia and a sound Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
He is in the category of Doctors of Philosophy (PhD), a class of great thinkers.
Although the awards conferred on Hakainde Hichilema are Honorary Doctorate Degrees, they should carry weight.
Can a simple kawayawaya be conferred with a honorary doctorate degree?
The answer is NO.
In Zambian history, we had two presidents who did not attain university education (Kenneth Kaunda and Fredrick Chiluba).
After they were awarded honorary doctorate degrees, people started referring to them as Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and Dr. Fredrick Chiluba. There was no harm, just honour and respect.
We also had Dr. Levy Mwanawasa and Dr Edgar Lungu who were also conferred with honorary doctorate degrees.
I believe HH is not an ordinary human being.
He is sharp and intelligent. I know that because I was with him in the same Economics class at the University of Zambia.
He deserves to be called Dr. Hakainde Hichilema. It carries honour, respect and dignity.
Of course , he doesn’t like that because he doesn’t like to be worshipped or glorified like a King.
He prefers to be a simple village boy from Bweengwa, everybody’s guy and everybody’s Bally.
What if everyone started calling him Dr. Hakainde Hichilema? Will it be an offence?
About The Author
