Minister Kazembe Kazembe, says that some Zanu-PF top officials are taking advantage of their positions to peddle drugs in Zimbabwe

 

….A month ago, Minister Machakaire also made similar claims

Two serving cabinet ministers have now publicly accused senior members of Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party of involvement in drug trafficking. Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe has sensationally claimed that some top Zanu PF officials are taking advantage of their positions to peddle drugs. This explosive statement directly reinforces identical allegations levelled just months earlier by Youth Minister Tino Machakaire.

 

According to the Daily News Zimbabwe, Minister Kazembe Kazembe claimed senior party officials are involved in the illicit trade. These rare and direct accusations from within the highest echelons of power point to a significant internal conflict. They allege that the very individuals tasked with protecting the nation are instead profiting from a crisis that is destroying its youth.

 

A Second Minister Blows The Whistle

 

The Home Affairs Minister’s accusation is not an isolated incident. It follows a previous, bold declaration from within the ruling party’s own ranks. On 5 September 2025, Youth Empowerment and Development Minister Tino Machakaire made headlines with a stunning claim.

 

Addressing a ZANU PF inter-district meeting in Hwange, Machakaire did not mince words. He alleged that senior figures were using the party as a shield for their illicit activities.

 

 

“It’s high time we call a spade a spade. Drugs are killing us. Drugs are destroying our nation,” Machakaire stated.

 

He went further, demanding the arrest of the culprits and asserting that “Zanu PF biggies are selling drugs.” This set the stage for Kazembe’s later claim, creating a rare public rift over the issue at the top of Zimbabwean politics.

 

A Nation Gripped By Addiction

 

These political revelations come against the backdrop of a devastating national emergency. The ministers’ words highlight a crisis that is crippling communities.

 

A 2025 Afrobarometer survey confirms the scale of the problem. It found that most Zimbabweans believe drug and substance abuse is widespread in their communities. The impact on youth is particularly severe.

 

Young people aged 16 to 25 account for 80% of drug-related psychiatric admissions. Many observers have likened the social damage of this crisis to the HIV epidemic of the 1990s.

 

 

In response to the growing scourge, authorities have launched crackdowns. Official reports state that between March and June 2025 alone, the government conducted 206 raids and made 1,445 arrests.

 

Protected Networks And Public Outcry

The allegations from both ministers suggest that the drug trade involves protected networks. Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono responded to the crisis, stating that the truth goes to the very top.

 

 

“This network survives because it is protected, financed, and normalised by powerful figures who benefit from it, while young people and communities are destroyed,” Chin’ono said.

 

He also claimed that some runners are “so-called slay queens” who pretend to be businesswomen.

 

The government’s own multi-sectoral plan against drug abuse stands in stark contrast to these claims of official involvement.