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Thursday, February 6, 2025
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Midlands launches comprehensive campaign against drugs

Blessing Nduku

In a bold move to tackle the growing scourge of crime, the Midlands Province launched a campaign aimed at eradicating murder, domestic violence, machete violence, drugs, and substance abuse last week in Shurugwi in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

“We are here to talk about crime in our community especially the use of drugs which leads to crimes like murder, attempted murder, assault, rape and domestic violence with the aim of campaigning where we live and where we work and finding solutions to reduce crimes.”

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police Midlands Province has organized this event to effectively deal with crimes that are highly concerned in Midlands communities.”

Speaking on this event the Minister of State and Provincial Devolution Owen ‘Mudha’ Ncube said drug and substance abuse was declared a national disaster by His Excellency and as a Province, we are here to try and mitigate it.

“President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, declared Drug and Substance Abuse as a national disaster in terms of Section 27 subsection 2 of the Civil Protection Act, Chapter 10:06.”

“This campaign resonates with the attendant Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024-2030, which established an inter-ministerial drug and Substance mitigation committee to deal with supply reduction, demand reduction harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, community reintegration, psychosocial and media communication .”

Minister Ncube went on to state the statistics of drug and substance abuse in the province and warned the drug barons saying that one day the law will catch up with them.

“From January to September 2024, the Midlands Province Supply Reduction Pillar identified 44 Drug and Substance hotspots mainly in Zvishavane, here in Shurugwi, Gweru Rural, Gokwe, Kwekwe, and Gweru Urban. 587 arrests were made, demonstrating the Second Republic’s uncompromising stance against drug peddling. So, drug barons, be warned, as the long arm of the law will soon catch up with you.”

“Under the Harm Reduction, Treatment and Rehabilitation Pillar, 701 drug victims were admitted for treatment at Provincial and District health facilities across the Province, and 395 were discharged and referred to re-integration centers, among them Queen of Peace, Ngomahuru, and Ingutsheni, I implore other Local Authorities in the Midlands Province to emulate the City of Kwekwe, which is the first local authority in the country to establish a drug and substance abuse rehabilitation centre at Amaveni.”

ZRP Shurugwi Police Station received an average of 115 cases of drug and substance abuse-related crimes each month, among them are assaults, murder, domestic violence, rape, and violent crimes, including the scourge of mabhemba.

Mudha stated that drugs are being abused in communities as they affect both one’s mental and physical health, especially for victims.

“Experts in the area of drugs and substance abuse indicate that widely abused drugs include mbanje, ganja cake, crystal meth, mutoriro, glue, tumbwa, sex-enhancing pills, and skin-lightening creams.”

“Cases of carelessness, unsafe sexual activities, unwanted pregnancies, premature deaths, low productivity, family negligence, and increased workplace conflicts have been reported in our communities, as drugs affect both the mental and physical health of victims.”

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