By Fanuel Chinowaita
CHIPINGE, 9 July 2026 – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has intensified its crime prevention campaign in schools, warning learners against drug and substance abuse, cybercrime, bullying and early child marriages, saying reckless decisions made during adolescence can destroy promising futures.
Speaking during a school awareness programme held in Chipinge yesterday, Officer Commanding Chipinge District, Chief Superintendent Edmore Kelosi, urged learners to reject criminal activities and make choices that support Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.
“I stand before you today not just as Officer Commanding this Police District, but as a parent who deeply cares about your future,” Kelosi told students.
“Our nation is moving forward under Vision 2030. However, that vision will mean nothing if our most precious resource – you, our youths – is destroyed by making reckless choices before you reach adulthood.”
Kelosi identified drug and substance abuse as the biggest threat facing young people, warning that the use of dangerous drugs such as crystal meth (mutoriro), mbanje and illicit alcoholic substances was destroying lives and cutting short educational opportunities.
He said learners caught dealing in, possessing or abusing illegal drugs risk arrest and criminal records that could permanently affect their future careers.
“Drugs do not solve stress; they multiply it. They destroy your brain, spark severe mental health challenges, ruin your health and force you out of school,” he said.
The senior police officer also condemned bullying and the emergence of school-based gangs, describing schools as places for learning rather than violence.
He warned that serious cases of bullying could result in criminal assault charges, while learners involved in organised school violence risked ending up in juvenile correctional facilities.
Kelosi encouraged victims of bullying to report abuse to teachers, parents or police community relations officers instead of suffering in silence.
Addressing the growing use of social media among young people, Kelosi cautioned learners against cybercrime, saying many failed to appreciate the legal consequences of online misconduct.
He cited offences under the Cyber and Data Protection Act, including sending threatening messages, sharing explicit images and spreading defamatory or unverified information on social media platforms.
“The internet never forgets. Once you press ‘send’, you lose control of that data forever,” he warned.
Kelosi also reminded students that Zimbabwean law sets the legal age of consent at 18 years, warning adults against exploiting minors and urging learners to report cases of sexual abuse, child marriages and exploitation to the Police Victim Friendly Unit.
“Your primary focus right now must be your books, your character and your future,” he said.
He encouraged students to become partners with the police in fighting crime by reporting criminal activities within their schools and communities.
“The ZRP sees you as partners, not targets. We want to see you graduate, build businesses and lead our communities,” Kelosi said.
The awareness campaign forms part of the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s ongoing community policing initiatives aimed at reducing youth involvement in crime and promoting safer learning environments across the country.