Online Reporter
Stephen Mpofu, Perspective
WHEN our black motherland was under vicious siege by white colonial racists from beyond many waters, our black young men and women whom we today call the gallant sons and daughters of the soil, said enough was enough and abandoned homes under siege in the countryside in particularly, armed with Ak-47 rifles, to cohabit with snakes and mosquitoes in the fight against foreign invaders of our beloved country.
Many people sacrificed their lives in the process but today we speak and are proud of the self determination that the gallant fighters brought us along with an incumbent revolutionary government that has pledged in its mantra to “leave no one and no place behind” in developing the motherland.
But can it be said with equanimity that future generations would be proud of the roles that present generations of youth play in furthering the gains of independence, freedom and self-determination while they indulge in self-destructive drug and substance abuse with their counterparts in Bulawayo recklessly engaged in the substance abuse as reported by the police earlier this week.
The alarming link between drug abuse and escalating crime was highlighted by the Officer Commanding Police in Bulawayo Province, Commissioner Jasper Chizemo, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Assistant Commissioner Tambudzai Gumpo during an anti-drug awareness campaign held in Pumula North this past weekend.
He said, “Robbery, domestic violence, sexual offences and murder are among the cases we receive, and most are motivated by drug abuse. We are seeing young boys and girls, minors, drifting into criminality because they are intoxicated.”
He also mentioned the arrest of some drug-lords in the city.
Authorities might wish to carry out an extensive and intensive survey across the country to discover if the drug abuse situation in other parts of the country is not similar to or worse than the one in Bulawayo in order for appropriate remedial measures to be taken.
Unemployment resulting in frustration among youths is one known cause for their indulgence in drug abuse by young people which only experts can tell and so no stone should be left unturned in seeking a solution to the drug and abuse menace bedevilling our young generation.
A lackadaisical approach to drugs and substance abuse by today’s youths and Zimbabwe can kiss goodbye to a brave new future for generations to come when the present is gone and gone for good.
