Online Reporter
Admire Chitsungo
Tomorrow, all roads lead to Father Flower Ngezi–Kadoma in Mashonaland West Province for a decisive fight against drug and substance abuse, as learners, parents, churches, community leaders and policy makers converge at Father Flower Group of Schools for a campaign against drug and substance abuse.
The event will run under the theme: “Breaking the Silence: Overcoming Drug and Substance Abuse”.
Held in commemoration of National Youth Day, the gathering is more than a symbolic event — it is being positioned as a national call to action aligned with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 aspirations and the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), both of which prioritise youth development, human capital formation and social protection as anchors of sustainable economic transformation.
The campaign gains added national significance through the involvement of the First Family, with the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, actively championing the countrywide fight against drug and substance abuse.
Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, she continues to spearhead prevention, rehabilitation and community awareness initiatives designed to protect vulnerable youths and restore affected families.
In solidarity with the cause, veteran broadcaster and substance abuse survivor Oscar Pambuka will grace the occasion courtesy of the foundation, bringing powerful lived-experience testimony expected to inspire hope, resilience and recovery among young people battling addiction.
Adding an international dimension to the programme, UK-based addiction intervention specialist Dr Pretty Nkomo, a devout member of the African Seventh-Day Adventist Church (ASDA Church), has jetted in to share expertise and community-based rehabilitation strategies drawn from her cross-border work with drug dependants.
Selected schools from Mashonaland Central Province, mobilised through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, will attend courtesy of Father Flower Group of Schools director general Dr Jimmy Lemekani-Waya, widening the campaign’s footprint and strengthening inter-provincial collaboration in safeguarding learners.
The programme has drawn Government backing, with Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Marian Chombo and Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Torerai Moyo, expected to headline proceedings — a clear signal that authorities are confronting the drug menace with urgency, policy coherence and coordinated implementation.
Hosted by Elder Douglas Kwande (DCK) and Pastor Nobert Chimunhu, President of ASDA Church, the initiative reflects a whole-of-society approach, uniting faith-based organisations, institutions, businesses, schools and Government in a collective stand against substance abuse.
ASDA Executive Secretary Pastor Webster Manyika said the campaign speaks directly to NDS2’s pillars of social development and youth empowerment, noting that substance abuse undermines productivity, erodes family structures and threatens the demographic dividend required to industrialise and modernise the economy.
By tackling drugs at community level, stakeholders aim to nurture disciplined, skilled and focused young citizens capable of driving innovation and national growth.
Through motivational talks, testimonies, mentorship sessions and value-based guidance, young people will be encouraged to make informed life choices, resist peer pressure and embrace healthy, purpose-driven lifestyles.
Parents and guardians will also receive tools to strengthen early detection, counselling and support systems at household level.
As the sun rises over Ngezi tomorrow, the message will be unmistakable: the road to Vision 2030 is paved not only with infrastructure and investment, but with sober minds, resilient families and empowered, disciplined youths.
“As we build the nation, we must first protect our children,” Dr Jimmy Lemekani-Waya, popularly known as Father Flower said.
