KAROI, Aug. 11, 2026 (NewsDay Live) — Zimbabwe will use sport to mobilise young people against drug and substance abuse as the country joins the world in commemorating International Youth Day on Wednesday.
This year’s International Youth Day theme is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”, with national commemorations set for Marondera.
Nicholas Moyo, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, said the celebrations would reinforce the government’s campaign against drug abuse while promoting clean and healthy participation in sport.
“Young people will gather in Marondera to resuscitate the national agenda against drugs and substance abuse,” Moyo said. “Athletes will compete provincially. Our thrust is no to drugs, no to doping.”
Moyo said Zimbabwe was a signatory to the 2005 UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport, which seeks to harmonise anti-doping measures and promote fair competition.
The ministry, working with the Sports and Recreation Commission, is stepping up awareness campaigns against dagga and other substances in sport.
The campaign comes amid growing concern over substance abuse and mental health challenges among young people, with depression and anxiety among the leading causes of illness in adolescents and youth globally.
Mental health services for adolescents remain limited in Zimbabwe, particularly outside major urban centres, while health advocates have raised concern over the use of cigarettes, vaping products, alcohol and illicit drugs among out-of-school youths.
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Rogers Mubika, a youth advocate in Karoi, said communities needed to provide young people with healthier alternatives and support systems.
“Being young should not mean being at risk,” Mubika said. “Investing in safety and healthy habits today builds the Zimbabwe we want by 2030.”
The government has increasingly promoted sport, skills development and youth engagement as tools to keep young people away from drugs and other harmful behaviours.
As Zimbabwe marks Youth Day, the emphasis is therefore shifting from statistics to practical action — in homes, schools, communities and sports fields.
