By Vongayi Mufara
26th June 2021
The 26th of June every year
marks The
International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. It is a day to share research
findings, evidence-based data, and lifesaving facts. It is a day set aside for
the international society to continue tapping into a shared spirit of
solidarity, among other things. The theme for 2021 is “Share Facts on Drugs,
Save Lives”.
With many young
people battling drug addiction in the world, drug abuse among the youth in
Zimbabwe has reached alarming crisis levels with the number of youths engaging
in drug abuse increasing yearly. Economic hardships and the outbreak of Covid19
pandemic highly contributed to the country’s growing drug abuse problems.
Approximately 94% of the Zimbabwean population is unemployed and the economic
conditions continue to shrink leaving the youth unemployed with nothing
productive to engage in, driving them to using drugs. When the Covid19 pandemic
lockdown started in March 2020, it left most school-going children not going to
school. The Zimbabwean government did not put any measures in place to make
sure that children continue to engage in educational activities. Most scholars
around the world engaged in online learning and online social activities but
sadly, this was not the situation in Zimbabwe-no provisions were made. Most
school going age children would be seen roaming the streets and engaging in
unpleasant activities such as drug abuse and teenage sex.
According to
most locals and parents, crystal methamphetamine popularly known as “guka
makafela” or “mutoriro”, among other drugs such as codeine which is a cough-based
syrup are brought into the country by cross boarder smugglers from South
Africa. The Zimbabwean government does not police the entirety of the boarders
and chose to turn a blind eye, collect bribes and allow the drugs to penetrate our
boarders. Locals know drug dealers in their communities and have also
approached the Police, but it is believed that the distributors are bribing the
security forces to turn a blind eye to these activities. These drugs remain
unaffordable to the average person and yet despite the steep cost people still
manage to purchase these highly addictive drugs so they can just while up time
and numb the pain brought about by the poverty situation.
Young people who
persistently abuse substances often experience an array of problems which
include academic issues, health related problems and even drug related deaths.
Declining grades, absenteeism from school and potential dropouts of school is
the current situation in Zimbabwe. Health related problems like the
transmission of HIV/AIDS are very common as many substance-abusing youth engage
in behaviours that places them at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS or other
sexually transmitted diseases. Despite the collapsing economy, there has been
more drug related crimes in Zimbabwe and if measures to curb drug misuse are
not put in place, Zimbabwe will be counted among the leading drug trafficking
countries.
Zimbabwe’s
health system has been found wanting. The hospitals cannot treat drug addicts
and do not have the facilities and resources like rehabilitation centres. This causes
the situation to continue unabated. Drug induced mental health issues are now
commonplace. Most drug users’ relapse when they go back to the townships where
they have nothing to do and are peer-pressured to start abusing drugs. The
situation continues to worsen as the government turns a blind eye and continue
to loot public funds meant for hospitals and rehabilitation centres. The few
private owned rehabilitation centres are expensive, especially for the young
unemployed people in townships.
I call upon
the Zimbabwean government to play a constructive role in acting against drug
trade in the country. Not only in the interest of its state institutions, but
in the long-term interest of the wellbeing of its own people. The Zimbabwean
government should dedicate and avail resources to counter drug trafficking to
avoid the longer-term consequences of continued demand for drugs which is
currently being facilitated by the current socio-economic conditions which the
traffickers are currently riding on. The Zimbabwean government should start
discussions and debate in parliament on how to prevent drug trafficking and
drug related health issues and death. I call upon the government to allocate
funding to promote recovery and mitigate the harm that is caused by drugs in
the community.
According to
the 2021 world drug report by 2030 demographic factors project the number of
people using drugs to rise by 40% in Africa alone. Drug trafficking is a
regional and international crisis. It requires cooperation with other nations.
Zimbabwe should develop policies which improves its relationships with its
neighbours and the larger international community. It should start working with
neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi,
Botswana to develop modern infrastructure which makes drug smuggling difficult.
I would recommend the Zimbabwean Government to take the lead.
We can tackle
the drug problem in Zimbabwe if we work together.
#ShareFactsOnDrugs
#SaveLives
#WDD2021
About the
author
Vongayi Mufara is a prominent Zimbabwean
human rights activist and the Secretary for Information & Publicity for the
UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. She is also the
Organizing Secretary for the Scotland Branch of the UK Chapter of ROHR
Zimbabwe. She writes in her personal capacity in this instance.
She can be contacted by email; -
vongayimufara@gmail.com
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