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Zimbabwe’s drug, alcohol abuse problem under Covid-19

Published

5 years ago

August 14, 2021

BY ZIMFACT

Drug and alcohol abuse among Zimbabwean youth is rising, according to government and public health experts who say this increase has coincided with measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), the Zimbabwe government and some civic society organisations have launched public awareness programmes on the problem, worsening under national lockdowns, restrictions on travel and public gatherings, closure of schools and a ban on sports activities.

The following are some of the facts and findings around alcohol and drug abuse:

· A Zimbabwe National Drug Masterplan which the government unveiled in April this year identifies alcohol and drug abuse as one of the top causes of mental health problems in all the country’s 10 provinces.

· Zimbabwe has the highest number of 15 to 19-year-olds in Africa who engage in heavy “episodic drinking”, at 70.7 % among males and 55.5 % among females, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report entitled “Mental health among young people in the African Region.”

WHO defines heavy episodic drinking as the consumption of at least 60 grammes or more of alcohol on at least one occasion in 30 days, which is six pints at a single sitting.

The Harare-based World Health Organisation (WHO) regional advisor on mental health and substance abuse, Florence Kamayonza, warned that heavy drinking needs to be checked to help manage the dangers of rising mental health and alcohol use disorders.

Launched the Special Initiative on Mental Health on July 21, Health and Child Care minister, Vice President Constantine Chiwenga, warned that Zimbabwe faced the risk of a decline in the quality of life of the youth from the impact of alcohol and drug abuse.

He said “a large proportion of people” were hooked on alcohol and substances like cocaine and crystal meth.

A global survey by the International Society of Addiction Medicines (ISAM) says that many countries are struggling with rising numbers of people abusing drugs as Covid-19 continues to ravage economies, decimate livelihoods and badly alter lifestyles.

Under Covid-19, Zimbabwe has witnessed a sharp rise in the abuse of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant commonly known in the country as “crystal meth” or “ mutoriro”, which affects the nervous system and generally leaves addicts in a wooden state of stupor.

In its 2020 world report, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime notes that “rising unemployment and lack of opportunities will make it more likely that poor and disadvantaged people engage in harmful patterns of drug use, suffer drug use disorders and turn to illicit activities linked to drugs – either production or transport.”

With governments and parents less able to respond to problem, strong drug abuse cultures are likely to grow strong roots in communities, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime report.

National

MPs push for recognition of unpaid care work

Published

5 days ago

May 7, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Legislators in the Parliament of Zimbabwe have called for urgent government action to recognise and support unpaid domestic and care work, warning that the burden continues to fall heavily on women and girls across the country.

The motion, raised by Omega Sibanda and seconded by Philani Zhou during proceedings of the National Assembly yesterday , highlighted the economic and social inequalities linked to unpaid care work.

MPs said domestic and unpaid care work remains a vital pillar of national development but continues to go largely unrecognised and uncompensated in Zimbabwe and many other countries.

According to the motion, women and girls carry most of the responsibility for unpaid household and caregiving duties, a situation lawmakers said deprives them of opportunities “to learn, earn, lead and thrive,” while deepening gender inequality.

The legislators expressed concern that despite its contribution to socio-economic stability and national development, unpaid care work is not adequately reflected in national budgets, infrastructure planning or social protection systems.

Parliamentarians are now calling on the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to develop comprehensive legislation and policy frameworks on unpaid care work. The motion also urges the ministry to commission a national survey to determine the economic value of unpaid domestic and care work, including its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The lawmakers further appealed to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion to increase budget allocations toward social protection programmes, infrastructure development and public services aimed at easing the burden on caregivers, particularly women and girls.

The motion comes amid growing global conversations around recognising unpaid care work as a key contributor to economies and social welfare systems.

National

Kariba Dam rehabilitation nears completion as spillway works hit 94%

Published

5 days ago

May 7, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

The Zambezi River Authority says rehabilitation works at the Kariba Dam are now approximately 94 percent complete, with the massive infrastructure project remaining on course for completion by the end of 2026.

In a press statement released on Wednesday, the Authority said significant progress has been recorded under the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project (KDRP), a US$294 million initiative aimed at safeguarding the long-term safety and operational efficiency of the dam.

The Authority said the project’s Spillway Refurbishment component was designed to restore the reliability and functionality of the dam’s six sluice gates, which have been affected over the past six decades by concrete expansion and aging caused by alkali aggregate reaction.

According to the statement, Phase One of the spillway refurbishment works, which began in May 2019, is now 99 percent complete. The works are being carried out by GE Hydro France in partnership with Freyssinet International and include rehabilitation of upstream control systems, hydro-demolition, concrete repairs and commissioning of rehabilitated sluices. Remaining work includes commissioning of the gantry crane and site demobilisation.

Phase Two, which commenced in August 2024, is currently around 70 percent complete and is expected to finish by September this year. The Authority said the works involve the design and installation of new hoisting systems for all six sluice gates, alongside maintenance works. Installations are already underway on sluices 1, 2, 5 and 6 after all six hoisting systems were designed, manufactured and delivered to site in 2025.

The rehabilitation project also includes plunge pool reshaping works, which were completed and commissioned in September 2024, as well as institutional strengthening programmes focused on dam safety monitoring, technical capacity and governance systems.

The Authority warned that the project is critical in reducing risks associated with uncontrolled water releases that could cause downstream flooding, infrastructure destruction and loss of life. It added that the rehabilitation programme also includes the development of an Early Warning System to improve communication with downstream communities during scheduled or emergency water releases from the Kariba Reservoir.

Once completed, the project is expected to strengthen sustainable management of the reservoir and improve reliable hydropower generation for both Zimbabwe and Zambia.

National

Parliament debates mandatory youth quota for local councils

Published

6 days ago

May 6, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Lawmakers have introduced a motion to legally mandate youth representation across all levels of government, arguing that a significant portion of the population remains excluded from key decision-making processes.

MP John Kuka expressed concern over the “limited youth representation in decision making bodies at every level of government including private and public enterprises”. Noting that young people constitute a “demographic dividend,” the motion recommends that the Ministry of Justice “creates a provision for the enactment of 30% youth quota in Provincial Councils and Local Authorities”

The proposal also seeks to enact provisions that “compels the appointment of at least one youth in every Public Service Board”. Supporters of the motion emphasized that young people bring “innovative ideas and deep understanding of issues affecting their generation” which are vital to national development.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly has voiced strong support for a government ban on the export of raw minerals, aiming to drive local industrial growth and increase national revenue.

Legislators acknowledged that the “export of raw, unprocessed minerals has historically deprived the nation of significant value” and potential employment opportunities. The ban, which went into effect in early 2026, is a strategic measure intended to promote “local beneficiation and value addition”.

While commending the policy as essential for the nation’s development goals, members of the House raised concerns regarding “compliance challenges arising from the abrupt implementation”. Parliament has urged the government to “invest in and incentivise the establishment of local mineral processing and refining facilities” to ensure the sustainability of the policy.