The article discusses efforts in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to combat drug and substance abuse by encouraging residents to form task forces and neighborhood watch groups to identify and address drug-related issues in collaboration with law enforcement. It also highlights challenges faced by the government, such as budgetary constraints and inadequate infrastructure, in effectively addressing rising drug abuse cases.

Residents in Bulawayo have been challenged to form taskforces to search houses they suspect to be drug havens in the presence of the police as their contribution to the fight against drug abuse. Bulawayo United Residents Association chairperson Winos Dube made the call during an interview with Southern Eye this week. He said officials from Bura engaged residents, and they agreed to rid the city of drug and substance abuse.

“The greatest challenge that was deliberated on was the issue of drug and substance abuse. It was resolved that everybody must be seen playing a role in trying to reduce or help in all situations that will see the reduction of the menace which has befallen the country,” Dube said. He said residents agreed to participate in all activities to help deal with the scourge.

“The emphasis was not only to look at young people because the truth of the matter is being realized that alcohol abuse is even affecting the elderly people,” he said. Dube said residents concluded that neighborhood watch groups should be formed to curb the scourge of alcohol and drug abuse.

“It was resolved that each area should form special committees to monitor the area and make sure that whenever they suspect that such things are happening or even where they suspect that drugs are being manufactured or delivered, people must come forward and work with law enforcement agents to deal with the situation,” Dube said.

Read the rest of the article by Patricia Sibanda on Microsoft Start.

Naseera Noor-Mahomed