30 Jul 2025

Rising cases of drug abuse and drug-related incidents calls for all stakeholders to unite towards the anti-drug campaign to save the future of the country.

Speaking during a combined church service in support of the campaign in Jwaneng recently, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) investigator, Senior Superintendent Petrus Nkgetse underscored the need for all sectors, including civil society organisation, to play a role in uprooting and eradicating illicit drugs.

He said that police statistics indicated that 70 per cent of people using or selling drugs in Botswana were young people, thus posing a threat to the future of the country. 

He implored faith based organisations to take part in sensitising their congregations about challenges of drug abuse.

“We want all stakeholders to spread the campaign to reach the communities, particularly the young people. Let us all have a voice to take this message wherever it can reach, with the hope of changing the situation our country is currently in,” he said. 

Snr Supt Nkgetse said that DEA was embarking on an intensive anti-drug campaign activities targeting various sectors of the community.

Though appiciating that illicit drug use mainly affected youths, Jwaneng Deputy District Commissioner, Mr Gabriel Tsuaneng said addressing the challenge needed a holistic approach that included targeting drug dealers. 

He regretted that drug dealers were adults profiting from destroying the lives of future generations and subsequently crippling Motswana’s economy.

“There is need to deal with the roots in order to effectively address this problem. These drugs are sold by parents who should be at the forefront of assisting government with solutions,” said Mr Tsuaneng.

He noted that the effects of drugs were a catastrophic to any society, since they did not only affect the mental health of users, but also contributed to other social ills such as gender-based violence and sexual offences. 

Mr Tsuaneng implored everybody to take individual responsibility and collectively augment efforts to eradicate illicit drugs from the communities.

Jwaneng Mayor, Mr Ronica Ntsimako said he was disappointed that young people failed to attend the combined church service in large numbers, despite their age group being the main target for the campaign. 

He requested that another activity be scheduled in the near future to ensure that the education reached as many people as possible in Jwaneng.

“We see how drugs continue to destroy the lives of young people and I am disappointed that they are not here today. We need to find another time where we can gather everybody in the community to ensure that this campaign is effective,” he noted.

In her sermon, Reverend Thito Gabarongwe encouraged congregants to ask for God’s intervention and guidance. 

She also said Jwaneng community should unite in one voice against drugs, irrespective of their religious organisations. 

“Let us unite as one and call on to God, it does not matter which church you go to, our objective is the same,” she said. ENDS