PRIMARY and Secondary Education minister Torerayi Moyo has called for a united national effort to combat the growing challenge of drug and substance abuse among young people in Zimbabwe.
The call comes after the government recently revealed that law enforcement agencies have confiscated drugs worth more than ZiG3 billion, while more than 13 000 people have been arrested as authorities intensify the fight against drug and substance abuse.
Authorities say drug and substance abuse has become a growing social concern in Zimbabwe, particularly among youths, prompting government and stakeholders to scale up awareness campaigns, community interventions and enforcement measures to curb the problem.
Speaking at a drug and substance abuse awareness event in Kadoma over the weekend, Moyo said the fight against substance abuse could not be left to the government alone.
The event, organised by DCK Group of Companies, the African Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Father Flower Group of Schools, drew hundreds of students, youths and parents who braved the rainy weather to attend the awareness campaign.
Moyo said drug and substance abuse affected not only individuals, but families and communities, contributing to rising crime, health complications and reduced productivity.
“It is a collective responsibility,” said Moyo. “Churches, families, schools — everyone has a role to play in curbing this menace.”
Moyo said parents must remain vigilant and maintain open communication with their children, while schools should continue nurturing learners academically and morally.
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Communities, he added, must support prevention programmes, while churches provide spiritual guidance and moral leadership.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Marian Chombo echoed similar sentiments.
“The use of drug and substance abuse does not only affect an individual but the family, community and the nation at large. Therefore, there is a need for a collective effort, including churches, to eradicate the problem,” she said.
President of the African Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Nobert Chimunhu, also highlighted the importance of open communication between parents and children as a key tool in preventing substance abuse.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the church’s executive secretary, Webster Manyika, said the church considered it a moral duty to educate communities about the dangers of drug abuse.
“It is the duty of the church to preach the spiritual message about the dangers of drug and substance abuse. We will not limit this campaign to Mashonaland West, but will expand it to other provinces in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” he said.
Director-general of Father Flower Group of Schools, Jimmy Lemekani-Waya, expressed satisfaction with the turnout and support for the campaign.
“This is an eye-opening initiative. Parents, schoolchildren and youths braved the rainy weather to support the fight against drug abuse,” he said.
Held under the theme Breaking Silence: Overcoming Drug and Substance Abuse, the event attracted government officials, district school inspectors, school heads and other stakeholders.
