Lodge an Environmental Complaint
| Form | Workflow | Outputs | E2E test | Docs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passed | Passed | Passed | Passed | Passed |
- End-to-end test
- 3/3 passed 2026-10-21 (mihud, combined)
- Documentation
- 15 steps, 25 images · Download the DOCX
- Who can apply
- Individual, Organization
- Catalogue ID
- 441
Required documents
- National Identity Card (NRC) (New)
- Company Registration Certificate (New)
Output documents
- Notice of Action (notice-of-action)
- Application form (application)
Test evidence
Lodge an Environmental Complaint
Service documentation · Republic of Zambia · GSB e-Services
| Owner | Zambia Environmental Management Agency |
| Service key | ZEMA/lodge-an-environmental-complaint |
| Version | service v1, platform 9b8a591f |
| Date | 2026-10-17 |
Generated automatically by the service's end-to-end test run. Every screenshot shows synthetic test data on a local test installation, never real personal data.
This document describes the Lodge an Environmental Complaint service of Zambia Environmental Management Agency as the platform runs it today. It is generated by the service's end-to-end test: every step below was performed by the test, and every screenshot was taken during that run with synthetic data. Regenerate it with npm run docs:services in the e2e suite; do not edit it by hand.
1. Service summary
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Service | Lodge an Environmental Complaint |
| Owner (MDA) | Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) |
| Purpose | Enables individuals or entities to submit complaints or grievances related to licenses or permits they hold or are affected by. It serves as a digital channel for lodging environmental complaints, allowing users to communicate their concerns, report violations, or seek resolution for issues related to licensing matters. It helps in addressing compliance issues, investigating potential violations, and ensuring the fair and effective enforcement of licensing regulations. |
| Who can apply | Individual; Organization |
| How to apply | Online on the national e-Services portal, signed in with ZamPass; pay with ZamPay. |
| Fees | N/A |
| Turnaround | N/A |
| Validity of the output | N/A |
| Required documents | National Identity Card (NRC) (required) Company Registration Certificate (optional) |
| Output documents | Notice of Action Application form |
| Legal basis | SI no.12 of 2013 – The Environmental Management (Licensing) Regulations, 2013 (http://www.zema.org.zm/index.php/download/the-environmental-management-licencing-regulations-2013/) |
2. Application process, step by step
The process as configured in the back office:
| Step | Role | Task | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Applicant | Apply | form |
| 2 | System | Generate Document | generate-document |
| 3 | Supervisor | Review | review |
| 4 | Case Officer | Review | review |
| 5 | Case Officer | Review | review |
| 6 | Supervisor | Review | review |
| 7 | Executive | Decision | decision |
| 8 | System | Generate Document | generate-document |
| 9 | System | Notify Client | notify |
Who takes part in this journey: Citizen, Case Officer, Supervisor, Executive, Anyone (public).
Step 1. Find the service
Citizen · National e-Services portal
On the national e-Services portal the citizen opens All Services and searches for the service by name ("Lodge an Environmental Complaint"). Each result names the service and the ministry that provides it.
Step 2. Read the service page
Citizen · National e-Services portal
The service page sets out what the service is for, who provides it, the fee, how long it takes and the documents to have ready. "Start application" begins an application (the citizen is signed in with ZamPass).
Step 3. Confirm the applicant details
Citizen · National e-Services portal
The applicant details are filled in from the citizen's ZamPass account. The citizen says whom they are applying for (themself) and continues with "Proceed to Application".
Step 4. Fill in the application form
Citizen · National e-Services portal
The citizen answers the service's own application form, converted from the legacy system (4 answers in this run, all synthetic), for the type of application "New". Questions marked * must be answered; some appear only after an earlier answer. Answers are saved as the citizen types, so an unfinished application can be reopened from My Workplace.
Step 5. Upload the supporting documents
Citizen · National e-Services portal
Each document the service asks for has its own upload (2 in this run: National Identity Card (NRC), Company Registration Certificate). The files are checked and stored with the application; the page confirms each upload.
Step 6. Check the answers and confirm the declaration
Citizen · National e-Services portal
Before sending, the citizen sees every answer and document on one page and can go back to change them. The declaration that the information is true and complete must be ticked.
Step 7. Application sent
Citizen · National e-Services portal
The portal confirms the application with the ministry's reference number (ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 in this run). The application goes to the ministry's officers; the citizen follows it in My Workplace.
Step 8. Take the new application on
Case Officer · Back office
The application arrives in the case queue of the ministry that owns the service (Zambia Environmental Management Agency); only its staff see it. The officer opens it by its reference number - answers, documents and process are on the case - assigns it to themself and takes it on.
Step 9. Review, Inspect, Assign to Case Officer
Supervisor · Back office
The Supervisor works on "Review, Inspect, Assign to Case Officer" (review in the imported process), checks the application and its documents, and completes the step.
Step 10. Receive, Inspect, Report Findings
Case Officer · Back office
The Case Officer works on "Receive, Inspect, Report Findings" (review in the imported process), checks the application and its documents, and completes the step.
Step 11. Review Expert Reports, Draft Decision
Case Officer · Back office
The Case Officer works on "Review Expert Reports, Draft Decision" (review in the imported process), checks the application and its documents, and completes the step.
Step 12. Review, Add Comments, Send for Signature
Supervisor · Back office
The Supervisor works on "Review, Add Comments, Send for Signature" (review in the imported process), checks the application and its documents, and completes the step.
Step 13. Decide: Review, Inspect, e-Sign
Executive · Back office
At "Review, Inspect, e-Sign" the Executive records the decision: approve, with a comment kept in the case history. Approving moves the case on; the last decision completes it and issues the document.
Step 14. Issue the document
Case Officer · Back office
The service's validity ("N/A") is not a fixed period, so completing the case does not issue the document by itself: the officer issues it from the completed case ("Issue / check permit"). It is generated from the service's output configuration and sealed.
Step 15. The document in My permits
Citizen · National e-Services portal
The issued document (ZEMA-LEC-2026-00001 in this run: "Lodge an Environmental Complaint") is listed in "My permits and licences" with its validity and a download of the sealed PDF.
Step 16. Verify the document
Anyone (public) · Public verification page
The QR code on the document opens the public verification page: genuine and current, to whom it was issued, and whether the electronic seal is valid. No sign-in is needed.
3. Payment
| Item | In the test run |
|---|---|
| Fee (as published) | N/A |
4. Output documents
Lodge an Environmental Complaint (sealed PDF)
Issued when the case was approved, from the service's output configuration (permitDocument/issued@1), filled from the application and the decision, sealed with the platform's electronic seal and stored as the issued version. The holder downloads it from My permits; the verification page checks it.
The issued PDF has 1 page; the image shows the first.
Fields
| Field | Value in the test run |
|---|---|
| Document title | Lodge an Environmental Complaint |
| Permit / licence number | ZEMA-LEC-2026-00001 |
| Holder | Chanda Mwila |
| Valid from | 2026-10-17 |
| Valid until | |
| Status | active |
| Verification code (printed with a QR code) | D4X9-YJ97-U6 |
Seal
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seal status | sealed |
| Signature level | PAdES-B-T |
| Sealed by | the platform seal (development key in the test run) |
| Signed at | 2026-10-17T05:24:36.890Z |
| Trusted time-stamp | 2026-10-17T05:24:37.349Z (time-stamping authority) |
| Document fingerprint (SHA-256) | 7888eed385474143... |
Verification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | The public verification page of the national portal, <portal>/verify/<verification code>, opened by scanning the QR code on the document. |
| What it shows | Whether the document is genuine and current, its holder and validity, and whether the electronic seal is valid and who sealed it. |
| Checking a copy | Anyone can upload a PDF they were given; the page says whether it is exactly the document that was issued. A changed copy is reported as not matching. |
On screen: step 14 (Issue the document), step 15 (The document in My permits), step 16 (Verify the document) in section 2.
5. Notifications
| When | Channel | To | Message | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application received | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 received - Your application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 for Lodge an Environmental Complaint has been received by Zambia Environmental Management Agency. | shown |
| Status changed | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Update on application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 - ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 (Lodge an Environmental Complaint) is now: With the office - being reviewed. | shown |
| Invitation to rate the service | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | How was Lodge an Environmental Complaint? - How was Lodge an Environmental Complaint? Tell us in about a minute. | shown |
| Decision: approved | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 completed - ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 (Lodge an Environmental Complaint) is complete. Your documents are ready. | shown |
| Licence / permit issued | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Your Lodge an Environmental Complaint document has been issued - ZEMA-LEC-2026-00001 has been issued for Lodge an Environmental Complaint. | shown |
| Application received | e2e.c***@example.test | Application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 received | skipped | |
| Application received | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | Application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 for Lodge an Environmental Complaint has been received. Track it: <portal>/my-workplace | delivered |
| Status changed | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | delivered | |
| Invitation to rate the service | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | skipped | |
| Invitation to rate the service | e2e.c***@example.test | How was Lodge an Environmental Complaint? | skipped | |
| Decision: approved | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | delivered | |
| Decision: approved | e2e.c***@example.test | Application ZEMA-LEC/00001/10-17-26 completed | skipped | |
| Licence / permit issued | e2e.c***@example.test | Your Lodge an Environmental Complaint document has been issued | skipped | |
| Licence / permit issued | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | delivered |
Delivery: shown = in the portal's notification bell; delivered = the SMS gateway (a test double in this run) reported the text delivered; skipped = not sent on that channel (e-mail is not configured on the test installation, and some notices go out on one channel only); sent by the national portal = a ministry node handed the notice to the national portal, which texts and e-mails the citizen under its own name and the citizen's preferences. Addresses written <portal>, <ZamPay> stand for the national portal and ZamPay.
6. Legacy mapping
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Replaces | Lodge an Environmental Complaint in the legacy ZIGS e-Services directory (ZIGS_Services) |
| Legacy service id | 441 |
| Legacy provider | Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) under Ministry of Green Economy and Environment |
| Legacy process | not recorded |
| Fee in the legacy system | none |
| Fee taken before submission | yes (as in ZIGS) |
| Time to issue (legacy) | not recorded |
| Legacy output templates | Notice of Action: ZIGS_Forms_Notices / GS-2.NoticeOfAction Application form: ZIGS_Forms_ZEMA / ZEMA_LodgeAComplaint.Application |
| Legacy address | none recorded |
| How it was brought over | Imported by the platform's legacy catalogue importer (zcm-backend scripts/zigs/importLegacy.js) from the ZIGS snapshot: form, case types, fees, documents, process and output templates, then served by the new platform. |
7. Version and date
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Document version | service v1, platform 9b8a591f |
| Generated | 2026-10-17T05:24:42Z (by the end-to-end run, not edited by hand) |
| Service version | not versioned (configured directly) |
| Platform snapshot | backend 9b8a591f portal dfd4933 back office a975a2c |
| Test suite | e2e 2b037bb; one installation (combined); seed profile mihud |
| Journeys | 30-catalogue-service.spec.js: citizen finds the service, answers its form, uploads its documents and sends the application - passed 30-catalogue-service.spec.js: the case goes through every step of its process: payments by the citizen, each officer step by its role - passed 30-catalogue-service.spec.js: the grant document is issued, sealed, filled in and verifiable; the citizen has it in My permits - passed |
| Result | 3 of 3 journey tests passed |
| Data | Synthetic test data on a local test installation; provider test doubles for ZamPass, ZamPay, SMS and signing. |