By Pezzy Kudakwashe
A Zambian tour operator based in the USA, has challenged Zambians in the Diaspora to seriously consider participating in Zambia’s development. Patrick Mapalo, of Mamu tours USA, said Zambians in the Diaspora have the ability to influence Zambia in a positive way.
Mr Mapalo who was speaking yesterday from Zambia on a USA based radio called, Zambia blog talk radio, said joining or running a political party was not the only way to influence Zambian affairs. Mr Mapalo is a Zambian, resident in New Mexico, United States of America.
Mr Mapalo said the problem in Zambia was that, some diasporas only want to become president when they return to Zambia when there were many other areas they could be useful.
“We can influence Zambia by sharing knowledge and information that is useful to our country. Diasporas have the capacity to change Zambia through exchange programs and important and useful ideas”, Mr Mapalo said
Mr Mapalo is in Zambia, leading a delegation team of Mayors from Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico, USA. The delegation team’s mission is to embark on a city twinning program between some cities in New Mexico and Zambia.
Yes,we do participate in zambia’s development thru the forex we send home,the kids we help educate and even helping set up a village library.Other bigger projects with impact take time,plenty of more planning and serious dough.
On a side note,good idea of twinning our cities but Mr Mapalo our cities and towns are embarrasingly dirty,full of street traders and potholes.Hope your guests aren’t ashamed of zambia.
I dont understand why people in diaspora consider sending aid to their families in Zambia a contribution to national development.Do you know how much the Zambians still in Zed give to relatives and yet still don’t write and brag about it? Just help your relatives and quietly rather than publicising and equating it to contributions to national economy.There is dignity in helping your relatives and not blowing a vuvuzela to let the entire world know.
Funny how some doofus think that helping folks home is not investing in zambia’s economy or its somehow blowing one’s trumpet even when the article specifically asks diasporans so.Where did i say i was helping family when all of us are over here?Some zambian goikos are judgemental and ignorant.
Yawn…rhetoric.
He is right Mr Mapalo.
It’s true!
Others just want to always cry for Gov’t to do one thing or the othr for them.
Some of our colleagues keep insisting on dual citizenship yet they exhibit xtremely high levels of hypocrisy, they want to be British citizens benefiting from social services but still be able to access and buy lad cheaply back home!
I think there is a level of selfishness in all this, very little consideration for how Chinese, Indians and every Jim and Jack will also be able to easily get Zambian citizenship and even take over our jobs. All for what? To please James whose sole envy is to be a British Citizen?
you have no grasp or depth of the issues involved in deciding the fate of the dual citizenship clause in the constitution ,You fall back on the xenophobic notion of jobs being stolen,have you considered the possibilities of jobs being created by zambians in the diaspora who have aquired the citizenship of their host countries
@ Motgage Phiri
Can you explain what you mean by Zambians in the diaspora creating jobs as a result of dual nationality? And why can’t they do it now with the acquired nationality? I think Mr Stella Libongani is right in the fact that it will benefit more of the outsiders chasing wealth than it will Zambians across the board. If I’am wrong can someone articulate the reasons good for dual nationality and not this nonsense of those Zambian who have acquired another nationality being able to invest in Zambia or children born to Zambians but in the diaspora.
AHHH so he has met the thousands of zambians out there to think we all want to be president? You know what you experience among the limited people around you doesn’t mean you can taint everyone with the same brush from your limited experience, it rather says something about your company. I think you should start with yourself rather than give empty statements of ‘ the problem with zambian.. is’, already that has a negative connotation .You journalists should stop making your press a platform for empty opinions rather focus on things to better us all home and abroad, what good will this man’s useless opinion do?
Yiwe Mapalo, how many diasporans want to be presidents? We only prof. Clive Chirwa with such
An ambition and there’s nothing wrong for him to aspire to the higher office in our land.
Our nation needs people of his caliber. But the majority of diasporans just want our nation to
develop and most of us are doing something that is helping develop the nation. Good for what you’re doing.
Others are also doing other things. But we have a govt that does not really care for the needs of those in diaspora
by accepting to give them dual citizenship which can help our nation develop further.
We should avoid “THE problem with Zambians…”, but rather say “ONE OF THE problems with Zambians is…”. Kasaba bay is opening up for investment. You can build a hotel there. Invest in tourism people. Even ka hotel in Ndola by Mwanawasa stadium. Expect a bumper harvest when there is a game.
I think the Mapolo’s point is very clear to all who talk and think zambian. When he says president, he is just saying diasporans want to go back and get a high class status (president of company or whatever). He just want to say that rather they can get back to zambia and start from the scratch like he is doing himself.
Good work Mapalo. Jealousy pase.
He is not Zambian legally.
Yiwe Chola Boy, No one is jealousy of what Mapalo is doing and don’t say what he did not say. He did not say that “diasporans want to go back and get a high class status (president of company or whatever)”. This is your interpretation but it is not what he meant. From the article, he meant president of the nation and this is what we are disputing with him. We welcome what he is doing and we wish him success. When you know who you are and what you’re doing, you can’t be envious of what the other person is doing.
No. 07 [Kamalsha] – good comments! The Chola boy has problems understanding the subject matter.
I was sponsored by the Indian and Zambian governments jointly for a master’s program. Upon my completion as per the regulations of the Zambian government I was supposed to be deployed into the civil service on the recommendation of the bursaries committee, ministry of education. It is now almost one year since I submitted my application for a civil service position personally to the Permanent secretary of the public service management division. It is well known that there are vacancies for my specialization and yet government does not see the urgent need to employ people like me and then people like Sata wonder why educated people want to leave Zambia!
I feel your pain mate, we are in the same boat.
Easier said than done. A number of people in the diaspora have sent various types of business assets only for their own relatives to ‘chew’ the money and run down the assets. I have very valuable assets which I entrusted to my young brother and my very close friend (best man on my wedding) and created employment for 8 other people. For the first six months, they were depositing an average of $2500 per month – net. Right now, I feel like crying, believe me. Last month I recived a call from the landlord demandig rental payments for the last 3 months. The landlord has since locked up the premises and suddenly I am having difficulties communicating with my two trusted people. There is a lot I can say but for lack of space ant time!
I feel for you yangu, that is the problem us Zambians have. I have heard similar stories over and over again. So many people have sent money to relatives to built houses and have been sent phones of other people’s houses only to discover when they return to Zambia that they do not own any house.
Its a pity that Government’s position is that people in the diaspora have run away and can only contribute if they return to Zambia. I take a different view. We could try want Rwanda is doing for and through their citizens in they diaspora. One example is that they have form an investment company to which the people in the diaspora contribute. the company has invested in infrastructure to the extent that Kigali which was like Chilibombwe in 1994, has developed to surpass Lusaka
#8 Zambian villager, Thank you and very true what you have said..
#10Yangu. I feel sorry for what you have lost. I have heard similar stories like yours over and over. I am fortunate that my little SIDO or kantemba is doing well
But I am aware that it is very easy for anyone of us to go what you have gone through. Hope your business recovers from your current experience.
Ah! Is this the first time he is engaged in what looks like “doing something for Zambia”? I thought he would share meaningful ideas that transform people and countries developmentally.
He is still being a Zambian abroad “Rhetoric”!
As some have already observed, Zambians support families at home whom the social services cannot. They educate children and young people whom the education system cannot, they also provide medical care which they cannot access because they have no money, and ministry of health cannot provide freely to them.
So why did u start a tour company in USA , WHY not zambia? I hope Prof. Clive Chirwa has heard this message this bemba man is trying to put across
I believe most Zambians in diaspora would like to participate in a more well-defined way in the development of the country but there has to be a clear policy direction by govt.
The advent of multi-party politics in Zambia in 1991 and the subsequent liberalization saw the unprecedented brain drain from the country which has continued to date.
However, all govts. past and present have been calling upon Zambians in the diaspora to contribute to development, but there have been no clear cut policy guidelines on the way forward since 1991.
Personally I see it as a great call by the current government asking Zambians abroad to develop the country, but the big question that they all fail to ask is what if all the Zambians in the diaspora acquire property, etc what guarantee do we have that the next government will not politicize the whole issue of investments and in the worse case scenario nationalize them properties :((
problem of Zambians in diaspora- alcohol too much.
Me and my wife recently made the decision to move back to Zambia and had planned to liquidate all our assets here in SA and start afresh in Zambia. The very first thing that happens is the port officials making our arrival as difficult as possible about clearing one of our vehicle on returning resident status. They kept us waiting in L-stone for three days for a response. Next thing the Ass commissioner says that his colleagues are not willing to clear the car even though he thinks all our documentation meets requirement. Next thing some surveyor or something comes up with a cynical comment about how expensive the car is so if we can buy such a car we should just pay duty for it. I have now vowed not to go back if my own people can treat me like that what is the bloody point???
I agree with you my brother. I really understand what you went through. The first greeting when you get back to Z is corruption at the airport or border. Its so pathetic. Just stay where you are happy. Just visit once in a while and help your relatives who need your help. The country is torn apart beyond recognition
I am sorry to say that Mapalos advise is all crap. The zambian environment is full of corruption, inefficiency, resistance to change for better, etc. people tried going back but came back faster than they went. Government has a stake to play in ensuring physical, social and business protection. I have no intention of coming back to Z until such a time when I retire. I will however continue to support my family and investing in property back home. I am happy here where medical services are good, corruption is next to 0, government is accountable, police service is efficient: any 999 call police or ambulance is responded to within 5 minutes, any corrupt minister or government official inculding those in private sector are not above the law and can be prosecuted anytime. Good luck guys.
and what did you contribute to that development? Lazy @*?&
In England if u r English u get 1st priority over any foreigner for anything. In SA they even have xenophobic tendencies when it comes to non-South Africans. Zambia is the only country I have been to who the officials respect non-Zambians more than their own. They have no regard for Zambian but will bend down and lick a foreigners behind after he has come from the loo. Officials are more likely to solicit a bribe from you a Zambian than from a foreigner. You almost feel foregn in your own country when you are from the diaspora. After my experience with Zambian officials at both the port office and ZRA It will take a mountain of convincing for me to take the time to make any meaningfull investment in Zambia. I even want to shut down what I have in Zambia right now after frustration.
#21 me too I will go back when I retire. Now i am investing.
Good on him for his personal efforts. That said his experience is personal to him and he needs to be mindful of making sweeping statements that alienate the same people he is seeking to address :) No need to take any of it personally though. It is possible he is just experiencing a moment of success and in his excitement did not fully consider his words. That or it is his opinion or experience that all are presidential dreamers. Either way no skin off my nose. Enjoy your trip and best of luck.
Ba LT are you going to reduce your website to posting transcripts from a blog talk radio, all you are doing is giving this individual free publicity for his briefcase ( No Website) company.
Ba Lusaka Times, you missed the story about Zambit Diaspora Business Group on the same show. Zambians in the diaspora want to invest. But the culture of doing business in Zambia should be based on proper business ethics, trust and not cheating one another. That way Zambia will be developed.
Muyunda true my brother. You can’t just invest in a place without a framework.
Was this photo from a Zambian function or all african foreigners in the USA. The guy in the photo looks like he is from Zim, the second lady from right is from SA.
Zambian diaspora, full of complaints. Just do it! You invest for yourself and family, do not think of Sata who will vacate that office some time.
So why don’t you form that kind of a company? You can even pay a private developer or National Housing Authority. No innovation.
What can you contribute to a country where people are very backward and primitive in their thoughts? Those locals hate anyone from diaspora.
Its impossible to do anything normal in zambia, be it driving or shopping or arranging anything. There is no “normal ” life pa zed, everything is in the midst of corruptinand cheating and stealing , incopetence etc. And as population grows it gets worse daily. Generally outcome for these backward countries is war or disease, massive numbers of people die and it starts all over. They have no elders to learn from no past experience to draw on.
Presidential aspirations or not. Be the king of your castle, invest and function within the framework of your uncompromising professional and business work ethics regardless. Do not relent to the time honoured artificial bureaucracy and paper shuffling work ethics of some institutions and organisations in Zambia. Be robust in your business dealings and stick to you business ethics & principles of strong negotiation with leverage, and set the tone of how you wish things to be done or expect to be done in your business operation. Thing about life in Zambia, is the attitude of procrastinating or postponing things without any valid reason other than, the mere lack of equipment, resources, and continual culture of time wasting and absence without consequence or accountability. Stay positive.
Mr. mapolo is not right not everyone in diaspore wants to be president.there are alot of us who just want to help with development.the stumbling block is envy from our local Zambians who view us as threats instead of partners. look at the dual citizenship issue, even your learned president thinks we are a threat.such thinking is what retards development.in essence he is basically wanting the uneducated so he can continue to manipulate them….very sad
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