Staff Reporter

Ward 33 under the Zibagwe Rural District Council villagers are concerned with rampant drug abuse amongst youths, a disturbing issue that has been plaguing the community.

In an interview one of the villagers,  Freddy Muchiwa, spoke out about the prevalent drug problem, which has left the community feeling unsafe and trapped within the confines of their homes.

The area, known for its agro mining economy, has fallen victim to a surge in drug-related crimes.

Muchiwa said the area’s youths are turning to drug abuse, particularly crystal meth known in Shona as mutoriro, in search of a quick way to make money. The addictive nature of this drug has wreaked havoc on the younger generation, causing a severe lack of respect for their parents and a breakdown in community values, Muchiwa said.

“Our children are heavily taking drugs. They no longer respect their parents, and we cannot move at night for fear of being robbed,” he said.

He added that the fear and danger lurking in the shadows has left villagers feeling isolated and vulnerable in their own neighborhood.

In an effort to combat the spiraling drug problem, Muchiwa proposed a potential solution: formalizing gold mining in the area. By providing alternative opportunities for the youth, such as job prospects in the mining industry, it is believed that the allure of drug abuse may diminish, ultimately restoring peace and stability to the area.

“Immediate action to address the urgent need for intervention is the sole remedy. This a gold rich area and efforts to make mining formalisation easy for the youths is needed so that they can be gainfully employed as some of the problems are emanating from being idle,” he said.