By Fanuel Chinowaita
Mutare, May 14, 2026 – A high-level Zimbabwe Republic Police delegation, led by three Assistant Commissioners, has descended on Manicaland with a sweeping crime and traffic safety campaign, hitting three institutions in two days as part of the Commissioner-General of Police’s intensified “No to Crime” crusade.
Assistant Commissioner Blessmore Chishaka, the Deputy National Police Spokesperson; Assistant Commissioner Dr. Singende, National Coordinator of the Victim Friendly Unit and Assistant Commissioner Muchada spearheaded the national crime and traffic awareness campaign at Nyamauru High School and Dangamvura High School on 12 May, followed by Mutare Polytechnic yesterday.
The campaign is a direct response from the Commissioner-General to the growing threat of drug and substance abuse, robbery, murder, stock theft, domestic violence, rape, road traffic accidents and other crimes tearing at the social fabric.
Addressing hundreds of students, Detective Sergeant Foya of the Drugs and Narcotics division, Harare, laid bare the devastating and often irreversible consequences of substance abuse. He reserved special caution for the abuse of skin-lightening creams, an overlooked danger hiding in plain sight.
“These creams contain extremely dangerous chemicals that cause permanent damage,” Detective Sergeant Foya warned. “Unlike some drugs, where you can be referred to a rehabilitation centre, the harm from these products cannot be undone. Rehab cannot fix the internal destruction they cause.”
He dissected the street drug known as Musombodhiya, a crude ethanol-based brew, explaining how it systematically strips users of appetite and drains physical energy, leaving them hollow. He identified peer pressure as the primary hook dragging young people into initial use and urged students to become whistle-blowers, reporting anyone selling or using illicit substances.
Assistant Commissioner Dr. Singende, the VFU National Coordinator, framed the campaign’s anti-violence pillar firmly within the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 5 — the elimination of all violence against women and children. Her address tackled child abuse, early marriage, and the full spectrum of gender-based violence that too often goes unreported.
“We have come to guide our own children — the students — so that they are equipped for everyday life and can help each other,” Assistant Commissioner Dr. Singende said. “We urge them to report, to teach one another, and to break the silence that allows these crimes to fester. This is about building a supportive community.”
Speaking to journalists, Assistant Commissioner Chishaka revealed that the campaign is also a reinforcement mission. Some students had previously fallen into drug abuse and entered rehabilitation, and the ZRP is now moving to fortify their resolve and prevent others from falling.
“We realised that some students were actually involved in drug abuse and received rehabilitation. This team is here to reinforce the need to desist from engaging with these substances permanently,” he said.
He emphasised that the fight extends far beyond drugs, encompassing a whole-of-society battle against robbery, murder, stock theft, domestic violence, and traffic offences. “We have to minimise or finish crimes committed in our society, but we cannot do it alone — we need the help of you students. Help us by reporting crimes, and by teaching others the information you receive today.”
The campaign is not confined to educational institutions. Today, the same ZRP team is taking the programme directly to Chief Zimunya’s homestead, embedding the anti-crime message within the traditional leadership structure. Tomorrow, 15 May, they will move to Chief Mutasa’s homestead, ensuring the rural heartlands are fully integrated into the national response.
Under the banner of “No to Crime,” the Commissioner-General’s multi-disciplinary blitz is set to roll out to all provinces, with the Manicaland engagement serving as a model for a new, aggressive phase in community policing that marries drug deterrence, victim protection and road safety awareness into a single, unified front.