Reclaim neighbourhoods from drugs, addiction: Minister

Africa Moyo recently in BEITBRIDGE

COMMUNITIES must take the lead in fighting drug and substance abuse, with village heads required to ensure their villages are free from drug suppliers and users, while chiefs’ courts should also handle such cases, National Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse Chairperson and Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri was speaking at the handover and commissioning of the renovations at Mtetengwe Primary School in Beitbridge on Saturday.

The event started with a half marathon dubbed Run for Health, in which hundreds of people of all ages participated in 3km, 5km, 10km and 21km races.

Organised in honour of Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s contribution to national development before and after independence, the half marathon ran under the theme, “Championing a drug-free society by 2030”.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said President Mnangagwa is concerned about the health and well-being of citizens, hence his decision to launch the robust Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024-2030).

“Therefore, Government’s commitment against drug and substance abuse (in terms of awareness campaigns, enforcement and rehabilitation) cannot be overstated,” she said.

President Mnangagwa directed the National Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse to embrace the Whole of Government and Society Approach, which leaves no one and no community behind, in the fight against drugs and substance abuse.

A 2023 survey done by Population Solutions for Health shows that 43 percent of young people in Harare and Bulawayo have used drugs in one way or the other and a holistic approach to dealing with this scourge is now required, said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.

Such an approach to fighting drug abuse must entail “active participation by heritage-based grassroots village, ward, district and provincial committees”.

“These will then feed into the operations of the National Committee by way of monthly reports. It is at the grassroots, in the villages, that the problem of drug abuse is emanating from, especially in border areas like here in Beitbridge, where the illicit drugs are peddled across illegal crossing points.

“Therefore, from today henceforth, Beitbridge must establish active Village and Ward Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Committees. These committees should, among others, comprise village heads/headmen/chiefs as chairpersons.

“We need to hear cases of drug and substance abuse being tried at our traditional courts.”

Other members of the Village/Ward Committees should be drawn from local experts in the seven pillars namely supply, demand reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, community re-integration, legal and policy, media and communication and resource mobilisation and economic strengthening.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the National and Grassroots Committees will continue naming and shaming drug lords, peddlers and abusers.

She added that offenders are being sent to court, with no option of a fine, for punitive action to be meted out, to deter others from engaging in similar activities. “There shall be no sacred cows,” she vowed.

“Also, Government gazetted this Statutory Instrument 62 of 2025 amending the schedule to the Harmful Liquids Act (Chapter 9:10) to include illicit brews like okhenke, kambwa, musombodhiya.

“The production, sale, supply, possession and consumption of the same are now banned. Every one of our traditional leaders and stakeholders must get a copy of this crucial law against drug abuse from our team exhibiting here today (Saturday).

“This will aid the identification, naming and shaming of offenders,” she explained. Plans are now at an advanced stage for the establishment of a National Drug and Substance Abuse Control Agency whose mandate shall be to enforce laws relating to drug trafficking, use and abuse, coordinating efforts by other stakeholders and developing evidence-based interventions.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said to boost resource mobilisation in initiatives like the Run for Life Half Marathon, partnerships with private players like Discovery Ambulance Services owned by Mr David Munowenyu, will go a long way in empowering youths to reject drugs and adopt healthier lifestyles.

Such funding methods will be done in the spirit of the “Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, igonamatirwa nevenevayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libusiswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo” mantra being championed by President Mnangagwa.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government requires more funding partners to equip committees with state-of-the-art gadgets that detect drug abuse for easy prosecution.

“The same applies, by way of demand reduction, for youth empowerment projects like the National Youth Service Training Programme and income-generating projects.

“These will not only provide viable alternatives to substance dependency but also equip young people with knowledge and skills to resist peer pressure and make positive live choices,” she said.

Families and communities were called upon to support victims of drug and substance abuse.

Treatment and rehabilitation services are presently being provided free of charge at all the provincial hospitals.

The National Committee, through the Psycho-Social Pillar, offers assistance and linkages to treatment and rehabilitation facilities.

Victims and families can get help by calling toll-free numbers Net-One 08014424 and Econet 2024.

In the national spirit of leaving no one and no community behind, 61 facilities were identified for conversion to stand-alone treatment and rehabilitation services.

Matabeleland South Province has availed three facilities for repurposing and these are Plumtree Clinic, Gwanda TB Clinic, and Pakama.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said nationally, they have operationalised three facilities: Chipadze in Bindura, Amaveni in Kwekwe and Chinotimba in Victoria Falls.

“There are numerous other private-owned centres. At these and all other centres, awareness literature on drug and substance abuse must be in our local languages for enhanced understanding,” she said.

“My office shall engage the relevant departments with a deliberate view to drafting an Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Leadership Pledge Card for all our leaders in both government and party, to sign, preferably, by end of this                                                year.”

This comes amid reports that many people including church pastors, law enforcement agents, medical doctors and politicians – not just youths as earlier thought – are now abusing drugs.

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