President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared war on the country’s growing drug and substance abuse crisis unveiling a high-level national mobilisation programme aimed at strengthening rehabilitation efforts and curbing the spread of addiction particularly among the youth.
Speaking at the High-Level Resource Mobilization Meeting on Drug and Substance Abuse Programming at State House in Harare, Mnangagwa appealed for unity, calling the battle against drugs “a fight for the soul and future of our nation.”
The initiative comes amid increasing public alarm over the surge in the use of illicit substances such as mutoriro (crystal meth), twumba and musombodhiya which have taken a toll on the country’s youth and communities.
“The negative impacts of this menace continue to affect families, communities and institutions. We are witnessing gender-based violence, school dropouts, suicides, and road accidents linked to drug use,” Mnangagwa said
Under the new national response framework, the government has pledged ZIG 865 million in the 2025 budget to fund a broad-based recovery plan.
The initiative includes the repurposing of public infrastructure into rehabilitation centres—67 of which have already been earmarked—with three centres now operational in Bindura, Kwekwe and Victoria Falls.
The government has also introduced new laws banning the manufacture and distribution of harmful brews, while crystal meth is now listed under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Mnangagwa warned traffickers and syndicates that the state will intensify crackdowns.
“We continue to score noteworthy successes in the fight against drug and substance abuse. Surveillance activities, by stakeholders working with the National 4 Committee, have seen peddlers and dealers apprehended and prosecuted across the country. The long arm of the law must do much more to bring culprits to justice, including through exposing and shaming cartels along with convicted offenders,” he said
But beyond enforcement, Mnangagwa highlighted the need for community-based healing and reintegration.
“Treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of survivors must happen at the grassroots. Local authorities must act,” he said.
Civil society organisations and private sector partners have been urged to support the programme, either financially or by refurbishing identified facilities.
Mnangagwa praised those who had already made commitments aligning the effort with the
He warned that no progress can be made without addressing the deepening social crisis. “It is incumbent upon all of us to eliminate this drug culture which is growing within our society. Let us act now—before it’s too late,” he said
