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Press Site Original EdD
“Long live, long live Monko!” Principal Hakainde Hichilema shouted excitedly, his self-esteem doubled. “Long live!” The male students of the University of Zambia also shouted excitedly. “Long live, long live mom!” “Long live!” The female students shouted excitedly.
The students’ banners, songs, slogans and Pali dances recalled Hichilema’s first visit to the University of Zambia as Vice-Chancellor in 2023. On that occasion, he was given a warm welcome by students, many of whom thanked him for providing free education and free meals. This time he returned to campus to receive an Honours Degree in Business Administration.
As the motorcade entered the university campus, a raucous and enthusiastic group of students, many wearing UNZASU T-shirts, stopped the President’s car, chanting “aseluke! aseluke!” (he had to jump out) in order to give him a “Jesus enters Jerusalem” moment. Driven by grandiose fantasies, guided by impulse, obsessed by the mantra of “me, myself, me”, Hichilema knew he had the vulnerable UNZA student in his grip.
Like the archetype of the Donkey Rider, who whips his donkey with the same blackthorn branch to urge his steed forward, Hichilema sits in the saddle with a carrot dangling from a stick. His steed represents the impressionable and indoctrinated UNZA students who measure their scholarship by the number of free meals and free education they receive, abandoning their vital role as “checks and balances” academics to embrace the harsh mentality of those responsible for nation building.
Bali Wapa UNZA
As Vice-Chancellor Mundia Muya placed the traditional headdress of the tam (bachelor’s cap) on Hichilema’s head, I anticipated that he would follow the example of great global leaders, including John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama, who committed to promoting academic excellence in their institutions of higher learning by devoting significant resources to establishing research schools whose ingenuity has driven innovation and expanded the frontiers of science and technology.
I hope that Hichilema will use this opportunity to unveil a comprehensive Student Academic Success Plan (SASP) that aims to transform immature UNZA graduates into outstanding innovators and inventors with a creative and exploratory spirit. The small round hat on his head is a reflection of this vision. With its distinctive flat top and tassels, it symbolizes the qualities of a master craftsman.
Instead, Hichilema has become “Bali Wapa Anza”, who in his speeches has difficulty separating his own self-interested actions from the needs of the country, refusing to acknowledge that the academic policies of the University of Zambia are unable to foster innovative and inventive human capital, or that the strength of the Zambian economy is inextricably linked to the strength of the Zambian University education system.
Instead, as he often does, Hichilema stressed that “this university is special…let me really express the contribution of this university to the progress of our country…this university has produced our engineers, geologists, agronomists…” He further stated that the University of Zambia is one of the best universities in terms of academic excellence.
All that glitters is not gold
The greatest threat to the truth is not lies but the unrealistic reinforcement of myths. The misconception that the University of Zambia is a world-class university betrays a leadership that lacks both intellectual depth and practical judgement. I have since concluded that Vice-Chancellor Hakainde Hichilema is not as innovative as I had previously believed. He lacks a clear vision for the University of Zambia and has not demonstrated a genuine dedication to the promise he made on his first visit to the university, which was to “raise academic excellence on a par with internationally renowned universities”.
If Zambian universities do produce the best graduates, where are they? Where are the electrical engineers who can solve the energy crisis and end power rationing once and for all? Where are the geologists who can gain full control of our mineral resources? Where are the economists who can solve Zambia’s chronic growth failure? Where are the agronomists who can turn Zambia into the breadbasket of Africa?
Historically, universities have played a key role in the development of nations. Many modern inventions that have had a major impact on the world have originated from research conducted on university campuses. Higher education is responsible for inventing the equipment and technology needed for development. What inventions did students at the University of Zambia create as a class? A needle? A light bulb? A car? A tractor? A computer? A plow? A solar panel? A turbine? A water pump? A train? None of the above.
In praising the university, Hichilema should have listed the University of Zambia graduates, living and dead, who have shown a prolific creative spirit, created or driven outstanding innovations, and made a tangible impact on the improvement of quality of life, economic development and welfare in Zambia. But he could not find such people. Many who showed great intelligence had to leave the country to consolidate their degrees because there were simply not enough University of Zambia degrees.
Ivory Tower Waits for Genius
The tragedy of it all is compounded when we realise that we have made no unique contribution to the splendor of our present paradise. There is no more compelling evidence that our spiritual vortex has been sucked in and devoured by countless savvy foreign lenders and predators who have left us at their mercy and further down the development path. This predicament is further exacerbated by short-sighted leaders like Hichilema, who are driven by narcissistic personalities and sheer arrogance and are unwilling to face the painful truth.
It is particularly frustrating that for many of the students who cheer, sing and dance for Barry, their undergraduate years at the University of Zambia are limited to one year. One year of their four years of study is spent on their A-level exams, which means they lose a year of their degree and their academic horizons. As a result, Zambia’s knowledge bastion is unlikely to achieve the meaningful and equitable distribution of innovative ideas and technologies that meet society’s needs.
As I put my pen down, I thought back to the Monkos and Mommas who graduated this year, many of whom are still looking for jobs or are forced to accept positions that are not commensurate with their degrees.
Frankly, the University of Zambia is an ivory tower awaiting a visionary leader like Lee Kuan Yew, the genius who transformed the tiny colonial outpost of Singapore into a first world nation.
Copyright for this article is owned by the Zambia Development Institute (ZDI), an American-sponsored
Zambian think tank. On May 19, 2022, a comprehensive proposal was submitted to
President Hichilema writes through his Principal Private Secretary, Bradford Machila. The author, Ph.D.
Field Ruwe holds a doctorate of education in organizational leadership.
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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