Kadoma mulls rehab for drug addicts

The City of Kadoma plans to establish a rehabilitation centre that will provide support and treatment to patients struggling with addiction to drugs and other substances.

Substance abuse has become a major challenge in Kadoma, with many individuals, especially the youth, falling prey to the scourge.

Authorities said the rehabilitation centre will provide a safe and supportive environment for patients to receive treatment and counselling and reintegrate into society as productive members.

“The site has been identified in Rimuka with plans to convert Mabanana play centre into a rehabilitation centre,” mayor Nigel Ruzario said.

“Council resolved to proceed as such at its September ordinary council meeting held on the 30th.”

Rozario said the centre should have admission facilities, health care services, counseling and life skills capacity building.

“We are reaching out to the corporate world and philanthropists to support our rehabilitation centre by donating essential facilities, medical equipment, and kits, as well as providing personnel to help us deliver quality care to those in need,” he said.

The mayor said the scourge of drug and substance abuse had taken a toll on the communities, and Kadoma was no exception.

“The centre is envisioned as a direct countermeasure to a crisis that has fuelled a cycle of crime, poverty, and family breakdown in Kadoma,” he noted.

Ruzario said by providing a safe, supportive environment with trained professionals—including counsellors, therapists, and medical staff, the facility aims to offer a path to recovery that has been largely absent.

“The goal is not only to help individuals overcome addiction but to reintegrate them as productive members of society, breaking the destructive patterns that have held parts of the community captive,” he said..

“For a community grappling with the devastating social and economic consequences of addiction, the planned centre represents more than just a new building; it is a potential game-changer.

“It stands as a future beacon of support not only for those struggling with addiction but also for their families, who have often watched helplessly from the side-lines.”

He said Kadoma is laying the foundation for a brighter future, “one where its citizens can reclaim their lives from the scourge of substance abuse and look forward to healthier, more productive tomorrows.”

Reports indicate that Zimbabwe is in the grip of a devastating drug abuse epidemic that has left thousands of young people addicted and vulnerable.

According to authorities, the crisis has spiralled out of control, with streets and homeless shelters filled with individuals who are struggling with substance abuse.

The government launched the Zimbabwe Multi-sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan in 2024 while President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for stiffer penalties against drug peddlers. Standard