Arron Nyamayaro
THE police have announced plans to involve family members of drug abuse victims in the fight against the drug menace in the country.
Commissioner General of Police, Godwin Matanga, made the announcement while speaking to mourners at the funeral service of the late Retired Senior Assistant Commissioner Johanna Ronald Muderedzwa in Harare on Friday.
According to Comm-Gen Matanga, drug and substance abuse has deadly effects and has caused many parents to bury their children alive. He called for a collective effort to fight the menace and rescue the country’s youth from drug addiction.
“When we meet with parents and guardians, I want to address a deadly issue that has seen most of our fellow parents burying their children alive due to drug and substance abuse,” said Comm-Gen Matanga.
“Dambudziko racho rasvika pakaipisisa zvekuti isu semapurisa takatowona kuti titombosiya zvekusunga vana ava asi kuti tibatsirane pamwechete nzira dzekurwira vana vedu.
“Our children are abusing these drugs and substance that some spend two to three days sleeping.
“I came across one of the victims flat asleep in the street in the Central Business District and nearly called my officers to bring a coffin.
“He looked dead and one of the street kids explained to me that he was still alive.
“Hanzi akango-sticker achamuka. This is so pathetic, so let us join together in fighting this menace in order to rescue our children,” said Comm-Gen Matanga.
He described the late Senior Ass-Comm Muderedzwa as a son of the soil, consistent, persistent and selfless cadre par excellence.
“He was one of the pioneers and integral team member of the organisation’s change programme, dubbed the Zimbabwe Republic Police Organisational Development Programme (ZIMPOD).
“In discharging this function, one of their most notable achievements was the crafting of police literature which had an enduring impact on the strategic and operational efficacy of the organisation.
Senior Muderedzwa was on Saturday buried at his farm in Rusape.
He is survived by wife Margaret Muderedzwa and five children.