PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has revealed that he is personally financing the master’s degrees for his two youngest sons through the sale of cattle, aiming to instill in them the value of agribusiness.
The President made the disclosure yesterday during a large-scale bull auction at his ranch in Choma, where thousands of cattle were sold to bidders from across Zambia.
“I will make sure that my last two boys in school get their education up to master’s by selling cattle because I want them to value the business,” President Hichilema stated.
He further explained that many of the bulls auctioned belonged to his daughter and two sons, who have been raising them since birth.
The auction saw 3,000 bulls being sold with the highest bid recorded for a single bull reached K200,000, while other sales ranged from K35,000 to K155,000.
President Hichilema urged Zambians to invest in cattle, emphasising its status as a valuable asset.
He highlighted the untapped potential for Zambia to become a major beef exporter, particularly to neighboring countries, rather than relying on imports from distant nations like Brazil.
The government, he said, is targeting US$1 billion in beef exports.
“Everyone for years was ridiculing beef producers… but not anymore, this is an asset,” the President said.
He underscored the changing perception of livestock farming and expressed gratitude to all participants in the auction.
President Hichilema reiterated that agriculture is a key driver of Zambia’s economic growth.
By Lucy Phiri
Kalemba, June 2, 2025
