Knowledge Mupembe is an advocate for drug policy reform and harm reduction in Zimbabwe. He holds a Bachelor's in politics and public management and is an alumnus of the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center for Southern Africa, a junior fellow at the Unite Global Parliamentarians Network for Public Health, and an alumnus of the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa Training and Leadership Programme. He is a member of the National Steering Committee of the #WeBelongAfrica Program of UNDP and a Fellow of the inaugural IAS Person Centred-Care Advocacy Academy.
"I know that we can make a difference, that we can create a world where people who use drugs are treated with dignity and respect.”
As the Programme Lead at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN), Knowledge Mupembe has been involved in efforts to improve harm reduction services for people who use and inject drugs in Zimbabwe. His approach has been shaped by a commitment to person-centred care and community-driven initiatives. This is his story ....
A grassroots approach
I began my advocacy work at a grassroots level. As part of ZCLDN’s Community Outreach Department, I was tasked with gathering data on the experiences of people who use and inject drugs in Harare. Working with individuals in hidden spaces who feared arrest due to the criminalization of drug use, I saw firsthand the urgent need for targeted harm reduction services.
Recognizing the implications of drug use for public health, my colleagues and I established support groups for people who use and have used drugs, fostering community-driven advocacy. This work laid the foundation for ZCLDN’s broader efforts to address stigma and discrimination while advocating for evidence-based harm reduction strategies.
Influencing policy
I was involved in advocating for Zimbabwe’s first National Drug Master Plan. Launched in 2021, this document outlines a comprehensive approach to addressing drug use through five pillars: supply reduction, demand reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, harm reduction, and community reintegration. Its adoption by the government led to the formation of an Inter-ministerial Committee on Drug Use, which expanded the plan into the Zimbabwe Multisectoral Drug and Substance Use Plan.
I also contributed to the drafting of the Key Population Manual for Healthcare Providers, which included harm reduction strategies for the first time in Zimbabwe’s strategic documentation. With my team, I worked to sensitize healthcare providers to the unique needs of people who use and inject drugs, building capacity for more inclusive and informed service delivery.
Addressing data gaps and advocating for funding
Despite some progress, harm reduction services are still limited in Zimbabwe. I continue to stress the importance of gathering robust data to inform programming, particularly to address HIV incidence among people who use and inject drugs. In 2022, ZCLDN led a Situational Analysis of Drug Use and Injection to Inform HIV and TB Programming, which provided valuable data that contributed to Zimbabwe’s Global Fund funding requests. This led to the inclusion of harm reduction in the country’s national health priorities for the first time.
Putting people first
I believe that harm reduction services should be tailored to meet the needs of individuals. My participation in the inaugural IAS Person-Centred Care Advocacy Academy in Zambia has helped me apply this approach more effectively within ZCLDN’s programming.
Beyond Zimbabwe, I have worked with international organizations like UNAIDS, the Global Fund and the IAS to put people first. Participation in global forums, such as AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, has allowed me to learn from and share experiences with others working in harm reduction. These collaborations have informed ZCLDN’s efforts and helped position Zimbabwe in wider discussions on drug policy and public health.
Challenges and next steps
Although harm reduction services like needle and syringe programmes and medication-assisted therapy are not yet available in Zimbabwe, policies and strategies are in place, and the focus is now on implementation and capacity building.
The ongoing challenges of stigma, discrimination and limited resources continue to present obstacles, but through continued advocacy, I hope to help bridge these gaps and bring harm reduction services to those who need them most.