In an inspiring fusion of leadership, sport, and social responsibility, the Government of Zimbabwe escalated its anti-drug campaign this weekend by taking the fight to the field, literally. The gold-rich town of Gwanda played host to the Gwanda-Tshitaudze Annual Sports Tournament, a vibrant gathering where legislators, local leaders, and youths united not only for competition but for a cause far deeper than the final whistle.
With legislators from across the country donning jerseys instead of suits, and football boots replacing formal shoes, the tournament offered more than entertainment, it was a national statement against a growing crisis. Zimbabwe, like much of the region, has been battling the devastating impact of drug and substance abuse, particularly among young people. This tournament signalled a shift from words to action, from podiums to playgrounds.
Senator Angelina Tongogara, Acting Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Sports Club, underscored the link between health and leadership, urging the nation’s youth to take President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call seriously: say no to drugs and yes to life.
“We are not just playing sport here,” Senator Tongogara said with conviction. “We are promoting health, building unity, and reminding our youths that fitness and discipline are pathways to purpose. Drug abuse is robbing our future, and sport is one of the most powerful tools we have to reclaim it.”
The message resonated across the sun-baked stadium. Young people from different corners of Gwanda, some vulnerable to peer pressure and others already navigating the scars of drug exposure, gathered to watch and participate. Football teams like Supersport United and Superstrikers clashed with intensity, while parliamentarians faced off with local social league players in a match where camaraderie trumped competition.
What made the event striking was the symbolism, lawmakers standing shoulder to shoulder with the community, sweating it out under the same sun, driven by the same vision: a drug-free Zimbabwe.
Gwanda Municipality’s Mayor, Councillor Thulani Moyo, used the platform to deliver a compelling challenge to the nation’s legislators.
“This tournament is not just an event, it is a movement,” he said. “We urge Parliament to go beyond the field and craft a law specifically targeting drug and substance abuse, one that protects our youth and holds perpetrators accountable. Our town is ready to support that fight.”
It’s a message that found an echo in Mr Edward Mandeya, Director of Finance in the Ministry of Provincial Affairs and Devolution, who described the current drug crisis as a ticking time bomb affecting not just teenagers, but adults and even professionals who once had promising futures.
“There is a deep need to restore hope,” he said. “Sport is not a luxury, it is a necessity in this battle. It engages the body, sharpens the mind, and strengthens the spirit.”
The tournament went beyond football. Volleyball nets were raised, pool tables chalked, and netball hoops stood tall, each symbolising the diversity of platforms through which youth engagement can be nurtured. Legislators participated not as VIPs but as teammates, encouraging a culture where authority figures are also accessible mentors.
This model of engagement, leaders not lecturing from afar, but participating alongside communities, may prove to be the missing ingredient in many national strategies.
What emerged from Gwanda was a sense that Zimbabwe is not only acknowledging the depth of the drug crisis, but actively exploring integrated, people-driven solutions. By using sport as a unifier and awareness tool, and by involving legislators at grassroots level, the tournament became more than a fixture, it became a platform for hope.
As the sun dipped behind Matabeleland’s hills, and the last cheer echoed through the stadium, the message was clear: drug and substance abuse is not invincible, and Zimbabwe is not powerless. Through policy, partnership, and purpose-driven participation, the country can rally together, on the field and beyond, to safeguard its most precious asset: its youth.
