By Staff Writer
RUSHINGA legislator Tendai Nyabani has launched a passionate appeal to Parliament to urgently intervene and find a solution to rampant drug and substance abuse in rural communities.
Nyabani told Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda that he witnessed sad situations where both adults and school children were abusing cheap substances such as Mutoriro and Musombodiya.
“Mutoriro and Musombo have destroyed the whole nation. If possible, may your office intervene in this sad situation where our communities are involved in the abuse of drugs and substances,” Nyabani said.
“May the Industry and Commerce, as well as the Home Affairs ministries, find ways to stop this menace. The cheap beers are being sold everywhere in the rural communities. Development has slowed down as people are busy selling cheap liquor instead of working,” Nyabani said.
Mudenda in response commended the MP saying he brought up an important matter and advised Nyabani to move a motion in the National Assembly so that MPs fully debate the matter to find a way forward.
In an effort to address the rampant substance abuse among the youth in the country, the government last September approved a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach in order to arrest the situation under Operation Clean Up Harare Ghetto.
The operation which was to kick off in Harare and subsequently be spread across the country and widened to Operation Clean Up Zimbabwe with a focus on curbing drug and substance has not started.
Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the approach would include intensification of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation, reduction of demand and elimination of supply and availability of illicit and over-the-counter substances and drugs on the market.
