Zanzibar tightens grip on smugglers to combat addiction
Unguja. Zanzibar officials have urged the public to break their silence and report drug traffickers, stressing that curbing importation is key to tackling substance abuse on the islands.
The call comes as Tanzania joins the rest of the world in marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking celebrated globally on June 26, annually.
The Permanent Secretary in the First Vice President’s Office, Ms Maryam Juma Sadala, said dreams of many young people are being shattered by drug addiction, leading to the erosion of the nation’s future workforce.
“Most of these drugs are not produced locally but are smuggled into Zanzibar. If we stop the inflow, we’ll significantly reduce their usage,” she said, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at Kidongo Chekundu Mental Hospital after a community clean-up exercise.
Ms Sadala cited worrying statistics, noting a surge in the use of a potent cannabis strain known as Skanka, which contains over 45 percent toxic compounds—compared to just five percent in regular cannabis.
Authorities have seized and destroyed 1,388 kilogrammes of Skanka so far this year.
“This is a serious challenge. These substances are destroying many promising youths. We must work together to eliminate this threat,” she added.
According to the 2022 national population and housing census, Zanzibar’s population stands at 1.8 million, with youth making up 37 percent.
Ms Sadala said the government has allocated 10 rehabilitation slots for young people who voluntarily seek help to quit drugs.
Beneficiaries will receive education and entrepreneurship training to support their reintegration into society.
Meanwhile, Kidongo Chekundu Hospital’s Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Mtumwa Makame Mohamed, said drug abuse is strongly linked to mental illness, cancer, and even death.
He said the hospital currently accommodates 90 in-patients, most of them young people.
“Our greatest challenge is relapse. After treatment, many patients return to drug use due to a lack of reintegration and job placement programmes,” said Dr Mohamed.
Several recovering addicts shared personal testimonies, urging youth to steer clear of drugs and seek support.
Mr Rajab Haji Abdalla, who has remained clean for three years, appealed to parents to engage with their children and monitor their wellbeing to prevent drug involvement.
“I was once a heavy user, but I’ve turned my life around. I urge my fellow youth to seek help. Drugs offer nothing—they only destroy lives,” he said.
The Jang’ombe local leader, Mr Khamis Ahmada Salum, described the situation in urban areas as alarming and called for a coordinated national strategy to address the crisis.
“I live in the heart of this problem. Drug use is rampant in our neighbourhoods. We must act collectively and take this fight seriously,” he said.
Minister in the First Vice President’s Office, Ms Harusi Said Suleiman, said regions grappling with drug problems face stunted development, social disintegration, and youth idleness, which undermines economic productivity.
“The community must speak out and report traffickers. These drugs aren’t produced here—there are no factories or farms in Zanzibar. Controlling their entry is critical,” he stressed.
He urged an end to the culture of silence. “If we allow drug sales to continue unchecked, we’ll all suffer the consequences. The only solution is to stop the traffickers. If the supply is cut, demand will fall.”
Mr Suleiman also reassured citizens that those who report drug-related activities would remain anonymous.
Earlier, the Prevention and Behavioural Commissioner at the Zanzibar Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (ZDCEA), Mr Juma Zidikheri said the authority had conducted a week-long awareness campaign.
Activities included community outreach, health stakeholder consultations—which uncovered cases of traditional medicines being misused as drug substitutes—school engagements, neighbourhood walks, and football matches in drug-affected areas to build resilience and promote prevention.
