Church Warns of Junkies’ “Catastrophic Effect” on National Development

Archbishop of Lusaka Alick Banda has warned that unless decisive, prompt, and collective action is taken, drug addicts threaten to severely damage Zambia’s socio-economic progress if left unregulated.

Speaking on Saturday at the Silver Jubilee celebration of Chilenje’s St Joseph Parish becoming an autonomous parish, Banda directly appealed to the community of Chilenje to unite in intensifying outreach to young people to prevent the growth of involvement in drugs and violence.

He said, “No parent should be happy, sleeping comfortably at home when their children are out on the streets, sleeping in trenches”. His words encourage both individuals and communities to play a vital role in reducing exposure to drug or alcohol abuse in young people.

For the Christian community, the increasing population of junkies is highly troubling. Banda explained, “The ever-growing numbers of the so-called junkies are our children. We just have to do something together. They are coming from our own families and we cannot discourage them. They are our children”.

In February 2024, Zambia Police Service conducted a collaborative operation targeting junkies, leading to the arrest of 62 people. They all faced charges of idle and disorderly conduct.

His plea both addressed the issue becoming a national concern and suggested that the country’s efforts to combat criminal activity could be catastrophically undermined if something more urgent is not done.