Taking the fight against drug abuse into their own hands, residents of Nketa suburb have launched a community-led campaign to tackle the issue.
What began as a concern shared among a few parishioners at the Roman Catholic Holy Family Parish has evolved into a coordinated effort to rescue youths from addiction.
The campaign, titled “Arise Zimbabwe,” was initiated by six Nketa residents who say the prevalence of drug and substance abuse in their community has reached alarming levels.
They say the problem has now become more of a public health crisis than a criminal issue, affecting families, education, and livelihoods.
Leader of the team, Martin Nyathi, a former teacher, told CITE that the initiative was born out of his disturbing observations of increasing substance abuse among young people.
“We saw a gap in our community where children are abusing drugs and alcohol. It is painful that as early as 6 am, you find young people already drinking at shopping centers, before bottle stores even open,” Nyathi said.
“We are appealing to all community members to join in this noble cause. These are our children and sometimes we are the ones unknowingly financing the problem by giving them pocket money, which they divert to buying drugs. Some even use remittances meant for family upkeep.”
Nyathi’s fellow campaigners are his former students and parish members from the Holy Family Parish.
Cornelius Ndlovu, one of the members, said the initiative will begin in their suburb before expanding to other parts of Bulawayo.
“We will start here in Nketa before spreading to other areas of the city. This problem is destroying families and people’s health,” said Ndlovu.
“We hope our efforts will raise awareness and inspire others to turn over a new leaf. We also hope other stakeholders will support and amplify this cause.”
Trust Kwanayi, another member, expressed sadness over watching his peers succumb to drug addiction.
“It is painful seeing people we went to school with, some even graduates from the Zimbabwe School of Mines, turn to drugs because they failed to find jobs,” he said.
“The economy is tough on everyone, but we must be strong enough to persevere. Our greatest fear is that if we do nothing, our children might fall into the same trap.”
Claudious Moyo added that part of their focus will be school-going children.
“We are targeting young pupils who spend a lot of time on social media, where they consume content from intoxicated peers and start envying that lifestyle,” he said.
“We plan to partner with schools to educate them about the dangers of substance abuse.”
For Lindiwe Mlazie, the youngest member of the group, joining the campaign was a way to engage in peer-to-peer counseling.
“As a young person, I understand the pressures that my peers face. They may not easily open up to adults, but hearing from someone their age might make a difference,” she said.
In 2024, President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024–2030), aimed at strengthening anti-drug law enforcement, disrupting supply chains, and expanding prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, commonly abused substances include codeine, methamphetamine (mutoriro), broncleer, glue, cane spirit (njengu), cocaine, and cannabis (mbanje).
Reports indicate that more than half of Zimbabwe’s youth population, about 57 percent, are involved in drug abuse.
The Arise Zimbabwe campaign is set to kick off on Saturday, October 25, 2025, beginning at 7:30 am. at the local shops in Nketa 9 before spreading through Nketa 6, 7 and 8.