Zimbabwe has established specialised Drug and Substance Abuse Courts in response to the country’s escalating drug crisis, which authorities say is tearing apart families and threatening the nation’s future.
The initiative was unveiled at a training programme for magistrates and prosecutors in Harare, where Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said drug abuse had become a national emergency.
“Drug and substance abuse is not merely a law-and-order issue; it is a pervasive crisis with devastating implications for public health, national security, economic productivity, and social stability,” Ziyambi said.
He noted that the courts are part of the Zimbabwe Multisectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024–2030, declared a national priority after President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced a state of emergency on drug use last year.
“The establishment of Drug and Substance Abuse Courts is an important component of the Government’s decisive response to a problem that threatens the very fabric of our society.
"These specialised courts will ensure swift, fair, and effective justice while also considering rehabilitation for those battling addiction,” Ziyambi said.
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Prosecutor-General Loyce Matanda-Moyo, in remarks delivered by Deputy Prosecutor-General Nelson Mutsonziwa, said public confidence in the justice system was at stake following outrage over lenient sentences handed down to drug offenders.
“Paltry fines are a slap on the wrist. They send a message that the lives and well-being of the victims of drug abuse — the youth, the families, the communities — are of negligible value,” Matanda-Moyo said.
She added that prosecutors must present strong arguments during sentencing to ensure deterrent penalties, while courts balance punishment for traffickers with rehabilitation for young addicts.
Drug and substance abuse has reached alarming levels in Zimbabwe, with about 60 percent of admissions at mental health institutions linked to substance use.
Crystal methamphetamine, known locally as mutoriro, illicit alcohol, cannabis, and codeine-laced cough syrups are among the most abused substances.
Authorities said the new courts will improve consistency in sentencing, speed up trials, and align the justice system with public health and rehabilitation measures.
Government is also working on the National Drug and Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Agency Bill, which will establish a dedicated agency to combat drug trafficking and coordinate rehabilitation programmes.
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