THE Copperbelt University (CBU) has conferred honorary doctorates on retired politician Vernon Mwaanga and businessman Carl Richard Irwin for their outstanding contribution to the development of Zambia and the African continent.
Dr Mwaanga was bestowed with a doctorate of philosophy in Peace and Conflict Resolution (PCR) while Dr Irwin, who is ZAMBEEF founder and company director for strategy and business development, was bestowed with a doctorate of philosophy in Business and Entrepreneurship (BE).
This was done on Thursday at the Copperbelt University’s 23rd graduation ceremony at the Riverside Campus.
Giving Dr Mwaanga’s citation, Ambassador Lucy Mungoma described the former Minister as an icon of peace.
“In matters of diplomacy, peace and conflict resolution, you have left a legacy immeasurable, yet even in your retirement you have remained a key partner of the Copperbelt University, in particular, Dag Hammarskjold Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies,” she said.
Ms Mungoma described Dr Mwaanga as an outstanding servant of the country and the Southern African region as a whole.
Ms Mungoma said Dr Mwaanga, who served the country in different portfolios, is an ambassador of peace and that he is an inspiration to many people, especially the youth.
And in his acceptance speech, Dr Mwaanga, who is a former journalist, administrator, businessman and banker, said he was humbled to receive the honorary degree of doctorate of philosophy in peace and conflict resolution from CBU.
Dr Mwaanga urged young people to embrace peace and become enemies of conflict permanently.
He commended the role that CBU is making in the development of communities within and outside the country.
And giving Dr Irwin’s citation, public orator chief executive officer Prisca Chikwashi said the ZAMBEEF founder is offered the honorary doctorate in recognition of his contribution and dedication to the development of business and entrepreneurship in Zambia and abroad.
Ms Chikwashi said the contributions that Dr Irwin has made to the country are extensive in their importance, breadth and depth.
She said Dr Irwin, who was born in Kitwe in 1965, has a Bachelor of Commerce and degree from the University of Cape Town and that he received two national prizes in commercial law and data processing while doing his Chartered Accounting qualifications in England.
Ms Chikwashi said Dr Irwin is the founder of Master Pork Limited Company, which was formed in 2002 and is now the largest pork processing company in Zambia.
ZICA president Wesly Beene said Dr Irwin has used the potential of Zambia as a springboard into Sub-Saharan Africa by ensuring that the Zambian flag flies in West Africa.
Dr Irwin explained the importance of local business to the Zambian economy and the need to strike a balance between foreign multinationals and home-grown companies in order to ensure longterm sustainable growth.
He urged graduates to consider becoming entrepreneurs in order to contribute to Zambian’s economic growth.
The PHD conferred on Mwaanga does very little to launder the drug baron tag on him. Looks like there are no stringent criterion upon which candidates are selected for honorary degrees.
I think people who no idea why a PhD is offered or rather what it takes to get one. Looks like a lot of you people on this blog think that PhD is a religion and you have to be morally upright to get one, hence references to VJ’s drug connection. I beg to differ. PhD is about contribution to body of knowledge and usually evidenced by a thesis produced or artifact. It is nothing to do with morallity. For example, Mugabe, arguably the most hated man , has multiple PhDs out of his own study and can’t invalidate his thesis based on his rule.
VJ is an author who has written about 3 or 4 books based on his life long insight into his personal journey. Most of you have only written ..TBC
Most of you the longest you have written is either a grade 9 pr 10 compostion essay based on your era. Once you have gathered all you knowlwdge, writting is a signifaicant part of getting a PhD, and I think VJ is capable of such a challenge and that has nothing to do with his morality.
In 2011, the disgraced Bill Clinton was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Mediterranean University and nobody mentioned about his immorality during his presidence where he lied under oath and even to this day he can’t practice law because of what he did.
So hands off VJ. I think he is a worthy candidate for an Honary Doctorate and some of us who read his works learned a lot about what was going on in the early beginning of our nation.
I will end here by saying congratutions to the big man VJ. You have made contributions to the body of knowlege about this country. Even your works is already cited by the people writing thesis and research papers about Zambia and many people in future will use your work as a reference to what happened in the history of this country.
You deserve it.
Honoury degree for selling mandrax,manipulating the voting system and sleeping with countless women.Congrats V.J.
They should as well award some to William Banda,Esther Nakawala,Scorpion Kadobi,Judge Ngoma,Father Bwalya ,Brebnar Changala, Joe Kalusa and Bowman Lusambo.
Bootlicker – and did you know that Mugabes Doctorates have been withdrawn from him upon the west villifying him? So the issues of morality and uprightness in the field concerned are important when you talk about a doctorate especially one that is honored to you. Well atleast in this western society you chose to call civilized. You as a recipient becomes a good will ambassador so to say of the university, a symbol, name in their alumni. If mugabe had done these things, the west accuses him of before hand, do you think those universities would have conferred the degrees on him. If not why? Do the crimes he has done now take away, the great works he did for his country as insurgent freedom fighter?Now, as a matter of curiosity, how many PhDs has copperbelt university graduated?
The basis of awarding Mwaanga with a honorary doctorate degree is very weak. Even the university had difficulties to package his profile. What has Mwaanga done in the area of conflict resolution. Has he come up any major conflict-resolution initiatives—???? Written any books in the area of conflict-resolution —?? At least the ZAMBEEF guy has made some entrepreneurial contributions.
And why should he be called Dr. Mwaanga when its honorary doctorate degree? President Paul Kagame has more ten Honorary doctorate degrees—-and never goes by “Dr”.
VJ is not Paul Kagame period, why compare pawpaw with pumpkin! Grow Up. Congrats VJ!
I am congratulating the two recipients for a job well done. CBU must continue to recognize the contribution of Zambians> Mor eimportantly, CBU must recognize the contributions of foreigners.
Olo Lwanya ! Very soon V.J with start flaunting his doctorate around like what his fellow African politicians before him have done.We have had Doctor Chiluba,Doctor Bweleka,Dr mwanawasa just to mention but a few. I think Dr Mr Irwin the ZAMBEEF founder should instead have been honoured for embalming Zambians through his embalmed meat products.
There was Dr kaunda, Dr Chiluba, Dr Mwanawasa, Dr Rupiah Banda now we are waiting for Dr Sata
And Dr. Hakainde for his work in promoting Tonga enlightenment and tribal voting.
Posthumuosly I presume
Congrats Dr. Mwaanga.. It’s it’s been a long journey for you..
The honourary Degree comes from a latin word ”honoris causa” meaning: “for the sake of the honor” and it is usually conferred on an individual as a way of honouring a their distinguished contributions to a specific field or to society in general. What is V.J’s distinguished contribution to the Zambian Society other than feeding off government since he was 21 years old? Or being a self confessed drag trafficker? One may argue to say that he deserves the award because he has written some books. It is from the same books that I lost respect for this character. The government sends you to study and all you end up doing is partying? The person deserves no such honour!
But for Ukwa, first give him honorary 6 points, honorary Advanced Diploma, honorary Beng…..blah blah blah blah….ok…Impossible to honor him…
How old are you? you should not be on this site.
Spot on MMD Chief Bootlicker
VJ despite all weaknesses, his positive contribution to this country far outweigh the negatives. Like any normal human being, this guy had low points in his life. VJ is a national asset and I therefore commend CBU for recognising his efforts. We don’t have to wait until he dies for us to honour this man!!
I won`t say much since i have no opinion on this, apart from saying “Congratulation Dr V.J ! “
I don’t care about honourary doctorates. Anyone can be honoured in that fashion. What I’m against is the discrimination employed in the choosing of the recipients. It appears only high profile people are favoured. Why not recognise efforts rendered towards national development by toiling peasants, marketeers, call boys and girls, general workers and executives in in different work situations?
This institution is risking the validity and respect of the qualifications that they
give to their students. We have heard already of pipo being given degrees they have not worked for. As am Employer i would…..
We Africans just love lofty titles which are in most cases meaningless, just like this one. Mr ”Dokota” mwanga …..! Lets reserve these titles for academics. Only when it is really necessary should universities confer such titles to non academics.
And the PF were busy accusing this guy that he was stealing votes. why haven’t they arrested him for vote rigging? ati rigging kanshi balelusafye….kuwaya wayafye
SUEREZ, Giving yourself that name is clear demonstration of your personal mental limitations. In a society like ours where we have worked hard to promote One Zambia One Nation, which greedy politicians are trying to destroy, the civilized must use every opportunity to heal wounds and promote unity. Your comment is very sour but you can be excused for that level of arrogance; and people who think like you should be told off the harshest way possible. Careless references to tribalism stinks; it comes from corrupted minds.
Do not refer to honorary doctorates as “Dr.” That is for their pockets. We are helping promoting stupidity.
viva cbu viva vj