ZANU PF Member of Parliament for Rushinga Tendai Nyabani has called for stiffer penalties on drug lords, who are fuelling the menace of drugs and substance abuse.

On a point of national interest in the National Assembly last Tuesday, Nyabani suggested that those dealing with drugs must be sentenced to life in prison.

The MP's call comes hardly a week after Youth Minister Tino Machakaire's allegation that some top government and party officials were bringing into the country drugs that have destroyed young people's lives.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

"My point of national interest is that firstly, I want to thank His Excellency Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, for the work that he is doing in trying to curb the drug pandemic, which he is doing together with his executive so that we put an end to the issue of substance and drug abuse.

"We can equate these drugs to the wars that are taking place in Ukraine because drugs are killing our children. Killing does not mean just getting into the grave, but if people are incapacitated, they die as well because if we refer to a country, we are referring to the young people.

"I want to thank our President for what he is doing so that our country will return to its former glory," Nyabani told Deputy Speaker Tsitsi Gezi.

"I think drug lords should be prosecuted and they should be given stiffer penalties because drugs are now being brought in various ways. Some drugs are being brought by drones.

"People are looking for money in various ways. The President should continue with the mantra that those who are caught with drugs should be prosecuted and sentenced to life in prison," said Nyabani.

Recently, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga led an anti-drug and substance abuse initiative in Highfield high density suburb, Harare, to curb the scourge that has destroyed families, mostly young people who are unemployed.