A FORMER drug and alcohol addict who once frequented Graphel Musamba’s rooms like chief insultant general Why Me, has shared how he transformed from a man who couldn’t live without drugs to the founder of a rehabilitation centre that now helps others battling the same struggles.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1734uLTZ8j
Daniel Mbazima is today seven years sober after nine long years of addiction.
Mbazima is the founder of Sanity House, a rehabilitation centre in Lusaka that supports people battling drug and alcohol abuse to rediscover themselves.
He said before rehab, his life depended on Volo (Heroin), cocaine, codeine and alcohol as his throat would always turn as dry as the Sahara desert if left to quench.
And prior to the positive transformation, Mbazima as an abuser of substances would behave like some social media blogger who could go to prison and come back doing the very thing that landed him there.
He was admitted to Chainama Mental Hospital more than five times, jailed a couple of times, expelled from university twice, and at one point, almost ended his own life.
“I stole money and other valuables to feed my addiction, I took advantage of my parents’ and family’s generosity to emotionally blackmail them and blame them for my mishaps, I was also verbally disrespectful and caused embarrassment while ignoring their advice, this was mostly when I was high or intoxicated,” he told Kalemba.
“I struggled with substance abuse for nine years, from 2009 to 2018, a battle that cost me dearly, including being expelled from two universities. I started drinking then, but it got worse over the years in university. My addiction led me into a deep depression, as I struggled to find a way out. I felt like a failure, a lost cause. While my friends graduated, started careers, built businesses and began families, I watched from the sidelines, trapped in a cycle I couldn’t break.”
His addiction not only cost him his education but also inflicted pain on his own family, both verbally and physically as he erupted like a volcano each time they tried to pump some sense in him.
But life, at some point changed when reality kicked in and Mbazima now started fearing prison like a certain bleached Kabwata male hairdresser who has been quiet on social media due to cyber and once bolted through the streets of Kabwata like Mulife to escape officers.
With the support of his family, Mbazima entered rehab in 2017 and a year later, he went back to school and earned a degree in Public Health.
“I’m very lucky to have a very supportive and prayerful family that guided me a little further and lead to true change when I entered rehab in 2017.”
“In 2018, I returned to university to study Public Health while pursuing multiple courses in addiction pyschology and dedicated myself to working with people struggling with addiction. This journey eventually led to the founding of The Sanity House Rehabilitation Centre, where I now help countless individuals reclaim their lives,” he revealed.
He advised those who may still be trapped in that cage to break free and seek help.
“Alcohol and drugs may look like fun for some, but for me they were destroying everything I loved. I hurt and pushed away my loved ones, I wasted money ,opportunities and a lot of time. Today, I am proof that change is possible.”
“To anyone struggling , please know recovery is possible. If I did it, so can you. It is possible to build yourself back up. Don’t be ashamed to start all over. Do not focus on your mistakes, don’t look at your age or time wasted. You have energy and health. That is all you need,” he advised.
And to families and friends of those battling addiction, Daniel Mbazima encouraged them to seek help for their loved ones.
“I know It’s painful and embarrassing but please seek help for them. Don’t give up. It is people like you that saved a junkie like me. As of now, I am back to doing that which I love to do, which is helping addicts transition into sobreity.”
“My family was my anchor in recovery.I couldn’t have done it without them. They never gave up on me. I remember my father taking me on countless trips to see several counselors in search for help, while my mother prayed tirelessly for my recovery. Their love and support remind me that family plays a vital role in anyone’s journey to recovery,” shared Mbazima.
He is also an Addiction & Alcoholism Recovery Coach, Mental Health Advocate, Drug Activist and Motivational Speaker.
Mbazima also recently got married to his sweetheart, proof that even former drug addicts can lead normal and fulfilling lives.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, September 10, 2025
