Ngoni Dapira

MUTARE businessman cum politician Kenneth Muchina has started a drug and substance abuse campaign through the church in Chikanga amid speculation of an increase in drug bases in the high density suburb, Easterntimeszim has learnt.

This was said last Sunday at Chikanga Baptist Church (BCZ) in Phase 1, where he attended the Family Empowerment Sunday service.

L-R: Chikanga shadow MP Honourable Muchina with Chikanga Baptist Church pastor in-charge Reverend Ian Maromo.

The Zanu-PF Chikanga Constituency shadow Member of Parliament (MP) pledged to fight the drug and substance abuse scourge in his constituency despite having lost the 2023 harmonised elections. He said he will still continue to work with community leaders in fostering sustainability and representing community interests to achieve President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision 2030 of transforming Zimbabwe to an upper middle income economy.

He said the drugs and substances being abused are dagga (cannabis) which is widely used, then the most lethal present-day “guka” (crystal methamphetamine) and cough syrup “bronco” (Broncleer cough syrup).

“Large-scale trafficking of guka and bronco is on the rise, often coming through our porous borders. Fighting drug and substance abuse is on top of my agenda in my constituency. However, this should be a collaboration rather than command or one man show, and the church has a huge role to play for us to achieve this battle, which is why I am here today. Pastors you are community leaders and have the big job to guide, motivate and empower our community to achieve common goals, improve quality of life and address local issues like this drug and substance abuse scourge,” said Muchina.

Muchina said the surge in drug and substance abuse is largely being driven by high unemployment rates, economic hardships and peer pressure. He added that the scourge is not only affecting youths only, but grownups as well who are going through mental health disorders from socio-economic pressures.

He said he believes one of the contributing factors of drug and substance abuse is the lack of family time by parents.

“Parents we are contributing to this drug scourge because of lack of family time. We need to have certain habits or ground rules in our homes like having dinner together as a family or just spending at least an hour together as a family catching up on how the day was without going on social media on our mobile phones. This family time helps to track odd habits by our children,” said Muchina.

Statistics from mental health institutions indicate that up to 80 percent of admissions are drug-induced, with the majority of victims being between the ages of 16 and 25. However, Muchina added that adults are mostly also taking illegal drugs like sex enhancing drugs and unregulated supplements due to marital pressures. He said some of the sex enhancing drugs which are not approved by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) are also leading to sudden death often linked to severe cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, strokes or cardiac arrest.

Part of the congregants that attended the Family Empowerment Sunday service.

The initiative by Muchina complements the ongoing national campaigns by the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is spearheading intensive national drug and substance abuse campaigns aimed at combating rising addiction rates among youth. The nationwide campaigns which are being done primarily through her Angel of Hope Foundation focus on rehabilitation, education and community empowerment.

Muchina did not only condemn drug and substance abuse, but early child pregnancies as well, urging the girls to act as ambassadors of positive behaviour. He urged young girls to stay focused on school and building their careers rather than dreaming of a soft life through early marriage or elderly rich men who gift them, now colloquially called ‘blessers’.

The Chikanga shadow MP said he is approaching the local authority for land and will fundraise money for the construction of a rehabilitation centre in Chikanga.

“The construction of rehabilitation centres countrywide is a plan that government is working on under the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2. Government is also pushing for various empowerment projects under NDS2 to reduce the high unemployment problem , so let us work together as we come up with solutions to address this drug scourge. I repeat that pastors you have a big role of praying for the nation. Also take time to always speak about drug abuse in the church and shun them,” said Muchina.

Rev Maromo

Chikanga Baptist Church pastor in-charge Reverend Ian Maromo pleaded that as government is working on building rehabilitation centres, affordability must be considered.

“The rehabilitation centres that are currently operational are too expensive. This is why some drug addicts are not getting help. This has to be addressed. Drug and substance abuse no one is spared and it is true that as the church we have a big role to play in fighting this scourge in our communities and helping families with addicts,” said Rev Maromo.

The drug and substance abuse campaigns in Chikanga also come on the heels of the National Drug and Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Bill public consultations underway countrywide. The Bill seeks to provide for the establishment of an agency that will be mandated to enforce laws that deal with drug trafficking and substance abuse. In addition, the agency’s responsibility will include coordinating access to support services, such as vocational training and drug rehabilitation programmes, to support individual recovery and development.

If the Bill passes, the National Drug and Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Agency, will become a legal entity capable of suing and being sued, and performing all necessary actions to carry out its functions under the Act.

The clause outlines the agency’s functions, which are divided into two main divisions, the Social Services Intervention Division and the Enforcement Division. According to the Bill, “The Social Services Division focuses on demand reduction, offering support services, conducting research, and educating the public. The Enforcement Division focuses on supply reduction, investigating and prosecuting drug-related offenses, and collaborating with law enforcement agencies.”

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) drug and substance abuse cases in Zimbabwe have reached critical, “national disaster” levels, with a massive surge in arrests, convictions, and mental health admissions, particularly among youths. From January to June 2025 alone, police apprehended over 15 000 individuals for drug-related offenses.

The Bill if enacted will help on prosecuting drug related offenses which are often divisive due to legal loopholes such as the law of possession. In Zimbabwe, being caught in possession of illegal drugs is a serious criminal offence governed primarily by the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] and the Dangerous Drugs Act [Chapter 15:02].

Under Zimbabwean law, to be guilty of possession, it must be established that the person was in physical control of the drug and had the intention to exercise control over it, which implies a wittingly aware state of mind. The ‘wittingly aware state of mind’ aspect is usually used to escape by most drug peddlers as they deny possession from the onset. The prosecution must prove that the accused person was consciously aware of the presence of the drug in their possession. This is often inferred from the circumstances of the find.

Some of the Zanu-PF Mutare district leadership and party members that accompanied Muchina for the event.

The Chikanga Shadow MP was accompanied by Zanu-PF provincial and district leadership. Muchina pledged to donate bags of cement to Chikanga Baptist Church which is still under construction and vowed to continue working with the church to address issues of drug and substance abuse.