‘Unite to combat drug abuse, child marriages’

Source: ‘Unite to combat drug abuse, child marriages’ | The Sunday Mail

Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Charles Tawengwa (right) chats with Chitungwiza Deanery Roman Catholic Dean Father Gabriel Mberi during a campaign against drug and substance abuse yesterday. — Picture: Charles Muchakagara

Sunday Mail Reporter

NEARLY half of young people in Harare and Bulawayo have experimented with drugs or illicit substances at some point in their lives, underscoring the significant challenges Zimbabwe faces in combating the scourge among young people, Minister of Defence Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

Speaking at the Chitungwiza Deanery Roman Catholic Church campaign against drug and substance abuse, and child marriages yesterday, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also chairperson of the National Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse, urged church denominations and other stakeholders to join forces in tackling the challenges of drug abuse and child marriages.

The speech was read on her behalf by Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Charles Tawengwa.

The event, held at Seke Teachers’ College, ran under the theme “Journeying together against drug and substance abuse and child marriages”.

“Our young people and the economically active are the most affected and struggling with drug and substance abuse,” she said.

“A recent 2023 survey by the Population Solutions for Health (PSH) showed that 43 percent of young people interviewed in Harare and Bulawayo had engaged in one or more forms of drug use at some point in their lives.

“Globally, trends on drug and substance abuse also indicate that 3,3 million deaths occur each year and at least 15,3 million persons have drug use disorders.

“These national and global trends give testimony of how much of a problem drug and substance abuse is.”

The Government, she said, was working tirelessly to address the scourge through instituting preventive, treatment, psychosocial support and aftercare interventions.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Cabinet approved a National Action Plan for Drugs and Substance, which is set to be launched by President Mnangagwa.

The plan will serve as a guide for programming drug and substance abuse interventions, she added.

“Cabinet approved the guiding principles for establishing the Drug Enforcement Agency.

“The agency will be primarily responsible for coordinating and monitoring the activities of the various stakeholders in the fight against drug and substance abuse.

“The CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit was decentralised to all 10 provinces in order to reduce the supply of drugs and dangerous substances to communities,” she said.

Prevention of drug abuse and child marriages, added Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, was embedded in the family unit and community.

“This implies the involvement of the family unit in every step of addressing drug and substance abuse and child marriage and the churches providing psychosocial support to the victims of drug use, child marriage and their families.

“As churches, your social standing in the communities puts you at the centre stage in the fight against drug and substance abuse and child marriages.

“More so, your huge membership base and community outreach capabilities make you a vital cog and our first line of defence in the war against social ills amongst our citizens.”