09/10/2026
It's beyond debate that illicit drugs & alcohol abuse in Zimbabwe is a national crisis. Indeed, it's now a national security threat. Hordes of our young people, including even some older people in their 40s & above, are addicted to alcohol & other illicit drugs. Narcotics such as heroine & co***ne are being routinely trafficked within Zimbabwe's borders. The situation is very grave & the consequences of illicit drugs & alcohol abuse are, of course, dire. There is a real risk that an entire generation might actually be lost to the perilous & deadly effects of illicit drugs & alcohol. Even professionals like engineers, medical doctors, accountants & lawyers are not being spared. This is a monster that is eating away at the very fabric of our society. Families are being torn apart as the dangerous effects of drug abuse spread like a bushfire in our beloved country.
I'm acutely aware & appreciative of the efforts that the Government of Zimbabwe is currently taking in order to effectively curb & thwart the spread of illicit drugs & alcohol abuse. There is a Cabinet Committee chaired by a senior Cabinet Minister specifically tasked with the responsibility of identifying the suppliers of these deadly drugs & illicit alcohol & to ensure their arrest & prosecution. Whilst I acknowledge the sterling work that the said Cabinet Committee is doing, there is still a lot to be done to effectively deal with the scourge of illicit drugs & alcohol abuse. Some people in high society are being linked to the supply & distribution of narcotics. If the situation is left unchecked, within the next few years, Zimbabwe will be, to all intents & purposes, a drug den ; the Colombia of Africa. The law should be appropriately designed to ruthlessly deal with people who are actively involved in the illicit drugs & alcohol value chain. Our justice delivery system should be utilised as a lethal tool to show absolutely no mercy to anyone who supplies & distributes illicit drugs & alcohol.
Our rehabilitation centres should be adequately capacitated to handle all cases referred to them. That said, the impending national budget to be presented in November 2026 should set aside significant funding to deal with the malaise of illicit drugs & alcohol. As a nation, we have got a very serious fight on our hands. Let's all make sure that we don't lose this fight.
