With Drug Abuse Raging, Zimbabwe’s Churches Turn from Punishment to Mercy
Zimbabwe is grappling with a severe drug abuse crisis, with alarming statistics revealing that 57% of the nation’s youth are involved in illicit drug use. Substances like cocaine, ecstasy, tainted cough syrups, and illegally brewed alcohol have infiltrated communities across the country. Even the church has not been spared, with many leaders acknowledging they are struggling to address the issue effectively.
“Ten years ago, we would suspend young church members caught using drugs, citing Bible verses to intimidate them,” explained Pastor Benny Guyo of the United Baptist Church in Harare. “Now, we focus on dialogue and offering help, or we risk losing half our congregation.”
Zimbabwe’s youth face a sense of hopelessness in a country battling the world’s highest inflation rate and soaring unemployment. A 2023 Afrobarometer survey found that 41% of Zimbabweans under 25 are unemployed—a figure that trade unions argue could be much higher. This bleak environment has fueled the rise of drug abuse, with transnational networks supplying contraband from Asia and South America, leaving behind a trail of public health and societal crises.
“It’s chaos—illicit powders, drinks, pills, and cigarettes,” said Tynos Magombedze, a retired Adventist pastor turned anti-corruption activist in Bulawayo.
In the early 2010s, schools and prisons sought to crack down on the problem through harsh disciplinary measures. Meanwhile, conservative churches largely distanced themselves, rebuking or expelling members caught battling addictions. “We were acting holier-than-thou, pretending drugs didn’t exist in our congregations,” admitted Guyo. Over time, however, the crisis overwhelmed traditional institutions and spilled into church communities.
Today, churches across Zimbabwe are actively responding. Messages like “Drugs Kill All Dreams” and “Resist the Scourge of Drugs” now appear on church billboards alongside Bible verses. Youth worship meetings have been repurposed as drug counseling sessions, and churches are reintegrating members who have sought help for addiction.
“A new urgency has arrived,” said Elder Josini Moyo of the Zion Christian Church, highlighting the shift in attitudes.
The change is already yielding results. Pastor Ashlee Gutu, 33, of the Jekenisheni Church, shared his own journey of addiction and recovery. After losing his marriage, finances, and role as a pastor due to substance abuse, Gutu entered a church-run rehab program that combined spiritual support with private therapy. Today, Gutu is rehabilitated and helping others. His church has supported 40 members in similar programs over the past two years, with over half successfully overcoming their addictions.
Other denominations are also stepping up. In Chitungwiza, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe partnered with Teen Rescue Mission for community outreach and anti-drug prayer events, while encouraging pastors to visit schools and markets to educate youth about the dangers of drugs and connect them to rehabilitation programs.
Despite these efforts, Zimbabwe’s underfunded public healthcare system remains ill-equipped to address the crisis. With only 17 registered psychiatrists serving a population of 15 million, the burden falls heavily on community initiatives, including those led by churches.
“To combat this crisis effectively, we must break silos and unite churches, police, schools, NGOs, government, and families,” said Guyo. “Together, we can guide our youth away from drugs.”