Zambia cannot claim to welcome investment while making it unnecessarily difficult for its own citizens abroad to invest, access public services and participate in national development.
The frustration expressed by Zambians in the diaspora deserves serious attention because it exposes a contradiction between the country’s development ambitions and the experiences of citizens trying to contribute to them.
For many Zambians living abroad, home is more than a place of birth. It is where they want to build houses, establish businesses, create jobs and support their families.
Yet, as Noah Ndhlovu’s account illustrates, these aspirations can quickly turn into expensive and emotionally draining experiences.
The first problem is trust. When citizens engage contractors to build homes or manage projects, they should expect professional service, honest communication and demonstrable progress.
Where promises repeatedly fail to match the work delivered, the consequences extend beyond financial losses. They discourage future investment and damage confidence in the very people diaspora investment is intended to benefit.
Diaspora money is earned through sacrifice, not collected from an endless supply of foreign currency. Those who remit their savings home deserve the same respect and accountability expected in any commercial transaction.
Written contracts, verifiable references, staged payments and independent inspections are essential safeguards, but the burden of protecting investors cannot rest entirely on individuals. Professional standards and effective remedies must also be available when agreements are breached.
The difficulties surrounding banking and passport renewal are equally troubling. Financial institutions must comply with regulations, and passport applications require proper verification.
However, neither security requirements nor administrative procedures should become excuses for unexplained delays, inconsistent information or inaccessible services.
A passport is a fundamental document of citizenship, not a privilege dispensed at the convenience of an office. An application initiated in 2017 should not remain unresolved for years without a meaningful explanation and a clear path to resolution.
If additional verification is necessary, applicants must be informed of the requirements, the reasons for the delay and the expected timeframe.
Government institutions and Zambian diplomatic missions must recognise that citizens abroad are not outsiders seeking favours. They are Zambians entitled to clear information, courteous treatment and accountable service.
Even more disturbing are experiences that leave citizens wondering whether assistance depends on personal connections or unofficial payments.
Legitimate professional fees must be distinguished from demands for money to perform duties that public officers are already employed to undertake. Any substantiated demand for a bribe must be investigated, not normalised as the price of getting things done.
President Hakainde Hichilema’s call for a culture in which people earn through honest work rather than expecting rewards without effort should find practical expression in public institutions, commercial dealings and everyday customer service.
National development cannot advance sustainably where citizens lose confidence in those entrusted with serving them.
The solution requires more than expressions of concern. Banks and government agencies should publish clear requirements for citizens living abroad, establish application-tracking systems, provide realistic processing timelines and create complaints mechanisms that deliver answers.
A dedicated diaspora service desk could coordinate information, help resolve administrative difficulties and connect prospective investors with credible professional networks.
At the same time, citizens must protect themselves through due diligence, documented transactions and formal reporting of suspected misconduct. Accountability must operate in both directions.
Ultimately, Zambia should ask itself a difficult question: why should citizens who want to invest their hard-earned money at home feel that distance makes them vulnerable rather than welcome?
The diaspora is a development partner, not a cash dispenser. Its members are asking for neither special privileges nor preferential treatment. They are asking for fairness, transparency and reliable service.
Zambia cannot afford to discourage those who want to contribute to its prosperity. If the country expects its citizens abroad to invest confidently, it must make the process worthy of their trust.
Patriotism should not require citizens to endure endless frustration. It should be met by institutions that make serving one’s country possible, practical and rewarding.