Zanu-PF denies plan to ban women from wearing mini-skirts

Zimbabwe's governing Zanu-PF party on Monday denied social media reports that it was planning legislation to ban the wearing of mini-skirts by women in public, calling the reports "fake news."

Viral social media messages claimed Zanu-PF is "planning to present a Bill in Parliament to ban the wearing of trousers and mini-skirts by women in public." The claims were attributed to acting Zanu-PF political commissar Patrick Chinamasa.

Zanu-PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo has issued a statement to state media, accusing the main opposition MDC Alliance party of creating the false reports.

"The party's Women's League was formed by combat women during the prosecution of the liberation struggle to commence work for post-colonial women empowerment programmes and advancement in rights, status, opportunity and emancipation," Khaya Moyo said.

"It is therefore ridiculous that a giant mass party formed and existing on the shoulders of an empowered Women's League can be attributed such trivia on dressing. This false story reflects a new low for the MDC Alliance.

"Zanu-PF reminds political players that spreading fake news in the name of our leadership or party as part of the so-called misinformation and disinformation agenda shall never salvage their falling political fortunes nor heal their factionalism and splits."

The false report betrayed "shameless levels of desperation" and "reflected the immaturity, childish mentality, and an uncultured disposition in the MDC Alliance," Khaya Moyo fumed.

The Zanu-PF spokesman did not produce evidence that the MDC Alliance created the "fake news". He said Zimbabweans would not be misled by "desperate fake news peddlers."