Criminology Australia (1995) correctly observes that drug issues are highly political.
Sumaila Kawu, a Nigerian politician debating a Bill for an Act to establish the national institute for drug awareness and rehabilitation in Nigeria, candidly expressed the role of politics, or more explicitly rather, the role of politicians in promoting drug abuse.
He stated: “As I am speaking now, most of our offices in our constituencies, most of our political offices, most of our houses, when you go there, you will find that there is a mountain of drugs, and there are drug dealers in our offices and houses — all in our houses.”
Kawu went further with surprising candour, challenging his peers in politics: “How many of us here can swear with the Quran or the Bible that they are not supporting drug-related activities in their communities? How many of us?”
In the Zimbabwean context, we can safely ask too: “How many of our politicians are not supporting drug-related activities in their communities? How many?”
In most literature I read and in most addresses I hear about the drug and substance problem in Zimbabwe, 13 causes are generally cited; peer pressure, breakdown of the family support system, death of parents, absent parents, lack of knowledge about the effects of drug abuse, poverty, idleness, broken homes, inadequate parenting practices, social influence, deviant behaviour traits, experimentation and stress.
While all these apply in the Zimbabwean context, the major culprits are conveniently left out — the politicians — yet their contribution, comparatively, makes all the other factors and causes pale into significance.
The scourge of drug abuse has enveloped the country with disastrous consequences evident through escalating mental health cases that are drug abuse-related, weakened immune systems among young people, drug-related ailments, violent crimes — including rape — committed under intoxication, growing murder cases, suicides and nonchalance among the younger generation.
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Judging from events on the ground, the drug abuse pandemic is at its infancy, so to speak, despite it being labelled a security threat at this stage.
It is frightening to imagine what the country will be like if this pandemic becomes full blown, and with the way our politicians leverage the scourge, it is just a matter of time.
The full blown stage is beckoning and with our politicians in the driving seat, we are hurtling towards it.
Part of the Zimbabwe Multisectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan’s foreword by President Emmerson Mnangagwa reads: “Drug and substance abuse (DSA) is a growing threat to the nation’s health, security, economy and social stability.” What makes it more frightening is that the problem is not gender specific; the Unicef research brief — 2023 Understanding drug use and substance abuse by Zimbabwean adolescents and young people — notes that drug and substance abuse is 41% in girls and 59% in boys.
It is scary to note that illegal, intoxicating substances are now readily available in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network reports that illicit alcohol, drugs, and other substances abuse in order of consumption is cannabis (67%); cough syrup (47%); crystal meth (36%); illegal alcohol (31%); pharmaceuticals (13%); crack (3%); cocaine powder (3%); and heroin (2%).
Ironically, the drug-abuse pandemic is blatantly spreading by the day despite the fact that we have a reasonable number of legal instruments to deal with it.
Some of the legal instruments include the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23 s157); Dangerous Drugs Act (Chapter 15:02); Dangerous Drugs Regulations RGN (Rhodesia Government Notice) 1111 of 1975; Dangerous Drugs (Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 62 of 2018; Dangerous Drugs (Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use) (Amendment) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 178 of 2018; Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act (Chapter 15:03); Medicines and Allied Substances Control (General) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 150 of 1991; Medicines and Allied Substances Control (Import and Export of Precursors and Certain Chemical Substances) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 56 of 2008.
All these legal instruments come to naught in the face of powerful, corrupt politicians who are either part of the drug cartels or are promoters of drug abuse among the youth for political or economic expediency or both.
It is now a norm in this country for example, that during election periods, aspiring members of Parliament and councillors supply youths with all sorts of drugs and illicit substances in order to manipulate them into instruments of violence.
Zimbabwe’s toxic politics hinges on violence, consequently politicians need violent youths with Dutch courage.
Thousands of youths during election periods are openly encouraged to take illicit substances with impunity under the protection of powerful politicians who, because of political power, are above the law.
One can imagine with horror the number of youths who are initiated into substance and alcohol abuse during such periods.
As the Nigerian politician Kawu notes, politicians store drugs in their homes and fund channels for regular supplies, especially during election periods.
What makes the situation worse is that Zimbabwe is perpetually in election mode, so politicians always want violent foot soldiers at their beck and call hence both the subtle and covert encouragement to the youth to abuse drugs and illicit brews throughout the year.
On the economic front, the same politicians have proved to be masters of chaos.
They have created chaos everywhere; on farms, on council and state land, in mining; in every sector of the economy that one can think of, and they need the youths to violently enforce their illegal activities or to force rivals out of business or to grab rivals’ assets.
The politicians, who masquerade as businesspeople, send what have become their secret weapons; intoxicated youths, as foot soldiers.
Through this modus operandi, they have grabbed land, mines, bus terminuses etc where they make a killing.
Zimbabweans are aware of intoxicated matchete-wielding gangs sponsored or backed by powerful politicians who supply them with both drugs and material resources to terrorise communities in order to grab mineral-rich areas on their behalf.
These substance-intoxicated youths do not hesitate to maim or kill, for they have impunity guaranteed by powerful politicians who are above the law.
In every constituency and every ward in Zimbabwe, there are “bases” where youths openly buy illegal substances and drugs in broad daylight, be it in urban or rural areas.
Such illegal bases are known to the police and the communities but nothing can be done to destroy them or to arrest the drug barons because behind the scenes are powerful politicians.
Youths are seen at these “bases” openly abusing drugs and other illicit substances some of which are smuggled into the country.
It is not surprising that smuggling of illicit substances is done easily for, if these powerful politicians can smuggle minerals as heavy and conspicuous as gold and lithium, what more of drugs?
The long and short of it is embedded in the question: How many of our politicians are not supporting drug-related activities in communities?
