Story by Providence Maraneli
GWANDA/INSIZA – TRADITIONAL leaders in Matabeleland South have expressed growing concern over the rising prevalence of drug abuse and illicit activities in rural business centres, calling for stricter enforcement of business regulations and stiffer penalties for offenders.
Once revered as the moral backbone of the nation, rural communities are increasingly being infiltrated by mushrooming shebeens, unregulated retail shops, and businesses that operate beyond legally stipulated hours many of which are allegedly peddling illicit brews and dangerous substances.
Speaking during a community engagement programme held under the “Not in My Village” campaign, villagers from Mtshazu and surrounding areas voiced their frustration at the growing threat posed by non-compliant businesses that are now seen as the conduit for drug abuse and crime.
“Now almost all grocery shops are selling alcohol, these are illicit brews that are destroying our children. Most have no licences, and no authority checks for compliance,” lamented one villager.
“They play loud music throughout the night, operate outside permitted hours, and sell drugs to our children,” a concerned parent said.
“Shebeens are everywhere now and it is from these places that we are seeing a rise in crime and strange behaviour. These substances are easily accessed from local shops,” a concerned resident said.
Chief Matema and Chief Sebasa, who are spearheading the campaign in collaboration with the National AIDS Council, are calling on rural district councils and law enforcement agencies to act decisively to protect communities, particularly the youth.
“As traditional leaders, we cannot allow such vices to take root in our communities. An intoxicated village cannot thrive. Imagine having a drunk and intoxicated community, we are fighting this menace with everything we have,” declared Chief Matema.
“Let us restore our cultural values. It begins with us. You now find a father drinking with his son, consuming foreign drugs we have never known. We are seeing strange cases, and we can no longer sit back,” said Chief Sebasa.
Beyond drug and substance abuse, traditional leaders in Matabeleland South are also adopting a holistic approach to addressing other social challenges, including the fight against HIV, child sexual exploitation, teenage pregnancies, and school dropouts.
Through grassroots mobilisation, education, and enforcement of community values, the chiefs are reaffirming their role as custodians of societal ethics and rural development.
