Online Reporter
Richard Muponde
Zimpapers Politics Hub
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s fight against drug and substance abuse has emerged as one of the most urgent national priorities, driven by the recognition that the crisis is both a public health emergency and a profound threat to the country’s social, economic and cultural fabric.
At the forefront of this battle is President Mnangagwa, who has repeatedly declared that drug abuse is nothing less than a war for the “soul and future of our nation”.
His administration has not only escalated the institutional response, but has also mobilised society as a whole to confront the menace that is wrecking families, disempowering youth and undermining the Vision 2030 agenda.
The latest anti-drug awareness march, spearheaded by the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, was a vivid demonstration of this collective resolve.
The procession, which drew together thousands of young people, Government officials, churches, community leaders and law enforcement agencies in a powerful show of unity, was a testament to the nation’s rising up against the scourge.
The symbolism of the march, from the Mbuya Nehanda Statue along Samora Machel Avenue to Stodart Netball Complex, was palpable; it represented a nation reclaiming its dignity from the shackles of drug and substance abuse.
The First Lady was direct in her call for collective responsibility.
“I am delighted to host you after asking the youths to lead this march, because they are the ones most affected by these social ills.
“For us to come together as one family shows that we no longer want this in our country,” Dr Mnangagwa declared.
Her words captured the essence of the campaign, a recognition that the fight will be won only when communities, parents, youth and Government institutions unite in refusing to allow drugs to define Zimbabwe’s future.
Dr Mnangagwa went further, connecting drug abuse to a broader breakdown of values and discipline that is eroding the moral fabric of society.
She condemned the rise in occult rituals, gender-based violence and reckless lifestyles, warning that these practices weaken the nation from within.
“We marched against the frightening, callous killings now happening in our society, coupled with the scourge of drug and substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, rape, cybercrime and high divorce rates that are causing suffering among children,” she said.
In this way, she framed the drug crisis not as an isolated problem, but as the root of multiple social ills that rob the nation of cohesion and stability.
One of the most significant developments announced during the march was the replication of the Angel of Hope Drug Rehabilitation Centre model across the country.
Already proving successful in Mbare, the facility now stands as the prototype for 67 other rehabilitation centres nationwide.
This initiative is more than symbolic; it represents a concrete investment in healing and reintegration, showing that the country is prepared not only to punish offenders, but also to rehabilitate its youth.
Guest speaker, Defence Minister and National Chairperson of the Anti-Drugs and Substance Abuse Committee, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, underscored this Government-wide commitment.
“We came together in unity as Government, development partners, communities, the church, civil society, and most importantly, our youth, to lend our voice against the social ills threatening to erode the family fabric of our nation,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.
She was quick to highlight President Mnangagwa’s leadership in the fight.
“We commend the astute leadership of our President, Comrade Dr Mnangagwa, whose unwavering dedication has created a safer environment for our citizens through the institution of policies and programmes responding to the pressures of various social ills plaguing our beloved country,” she said.
Her praise was a clear reminder that while community mobilisation is critical, it is the political will at the highest level that gives the fight against drugs its institutional backbone.
Indeed, President Mnangagwa has not minced words in his stance on drugs.
Speaking at a resource mobilisation event in July, he framed the crisis in stark terms.
“This is not a ‘feel good exercise’; it is a fight for the future of our young people,” President Mnangagwa said.
He revealed that surveillance operations had resulted in the apprehension of numerous peddlers and traffickers, while his administration had moved decisively to outlaw dangerous substances such as twumba, musombodhiya and crystal meth (mutoriro/guka) through statutory instruments.
He further directed the acceleration of the Drug Enforcement Agency Bill and called for “stiffer penalties” against offenders, demonstrating an uncompromising posture towards drug syndicates.
Crucially, the President balanced punishment with rehabilitation, noting that “67 treatment and rehabilitation centres had been identified across the country, with three, in Bindura, Kwekwe and Victoria Falls already operational.”
His insistence that local authorities must repurpose infrastructure for rehabilitation demonstrates a recognition that supply reduction and demand reduction must go hand in hand.
The urgency of this fight is underlined by the devastating impact drugs have had on the nation’s youth.
Addiction strips young people of their health, productivity and potential, often driving them into crime to sustain their habits. Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Commissioner General Dr Moses Chihobvu was blunt when he revealed that many young offenders confessed to committing crimes under the influence of drugs.
This reality not only burdens the justice system but also deprives the country of a future workforce capable of advancing Vision 2030.
The Government’s strategy, anchored on the seven pillars of supply reduction, demand reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, harm reduction, community reintegration, communication and resource mobilisation, reflects a holistic approach to the problem.
This framework ensures that law enforcement, health services, community engagement, and moral leadership work in tandem.
For example, law enforcement agencies confiscated significant quantities of illicit substances during the march, including 465 boxes of prohibited cough syrup, 360kg of mbanje, and cocaine, sending a clear signal that the country is tightening its grip on drug traffickers.
At its core, this fight is about safeguarding the future, the youth who must carry Zimbabwe into the promises of Vision 2030.
President Mnangagwa was unequivocal when he declared, “Through cooperation and collaboration as one united people, this drug and substance abuse challenge is surmountable.”
His words place responsibility not only on Government institutions but on every citizen to nurture Hunhu/Ubuntu and resist the corrosive lure of drugs.
The march in Mbare, the opening of rehabilitation centres, and the uncompromising legislative measures all point to a Government that has moved beyond rhetoric to action.
Yet, the struggle is far from over. Drug cartels remain powerful, rehabilitation requires sustainable funding, and prevention demands constant vigilance. But the direction is clear: the country has resolved to fight drugs not as a peripheral issue but as a central battle for its survival and prosperity.
In this sense, the statement “Government drug abuse fight safeguards future” is more than a slogan, it is a national creed.
By protecting its youth from drugs, Zimbabwe is protecting its future, its economy, its culture, and its very soul.
President Mnangagwa’s policy muscle, combined with the First Lady’s leadership and Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri’s mobilisation, sends an unmistakable message: the future will not be surrendered to drugs.
