- Title: ZAMBIA: CAMPAIGN AGAINST MINI-SKIRT ENDS
- Date: 22nd February 1969
- Summary: MANY EUROPEAN WOMEN IN SHORT DRESSES, SOME AFRICAN GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SHORT DRESSES AND SOME IN TRADITIONAL DRESS, IN DIFFERENT STREETS OF NBOLA. Initials SA/VS/AS/SS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 9th March 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NDOLA/ZAMBIA
- Country: Zambia
- Reuters ID: LVA5SUE51MWNRRVPBSX2WHJK0RED
- Story Text: ZAMBIA'S WEEK-LONG WAR AGAINST MINI-SKIRTS OFFICIALLY ENDED YESTERDAY (21 FEBRUARY). IT WAS PROMOTED BY MR. EUSTACE MUMBA, REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR LUSAKA AND ONE OF THE TOP MEN IN THE RULING UNITED NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE PARTY BUT THERE WERE MANY IMPORTANT OPPONENTS TO THE CAMPAIGN.
A POSTER WARNING GIRLS THEY HAS ONLY ONE WEEK TO LOWER THEIR HEMLINES WAS DISPLAYED OUTSIDE THE LUSAKA REGIONAL OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE PARTY (UNIP) AND A UNIP VEHICLE WAS DECKED OUT IN SIMILAR POSTERS. THE CAMPAIGN FOLLOWED A RECOMMENDATION LAST WEEK-END FROM A COMMITTEE OF A NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS THAT MINI-SKIRTS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED ALONG WITH WIGS, TIGHT TROUSERS AND SKIN LIGHTENING COSMETICS. IT ALSO CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO UPHOLD THE CUSTOM OF POLYGAMY. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, CENTRAL PROVINCE MINISTER MR. MAINZA CHONA ALSO CONDEMNED 'MICROMINIS' BUT HE ADVISED AGAINST VIOLENCE BEING USED IN ANY CAMPAIGN. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS THIS WEEK WHEN GANGS OF YOUTHS HAVE FORCIBLY LOWERS HEMS OF SHORT SKIRTS WORN BY GIRLS IN THE STREETS OF LUSAKA.
ON THURSDAY THIS WEEK, ZAMBIA'S CHIEF JUSTICE CALLED ON POLICE TO UPHOLDS THE LAW AND PROTECT GIRLS IN MINISKIRTS. HE SAID THERE MIGHT BE LEGISLATION AGAINST MINISKIRTS BUT THE POLICE MUST NOT LET PEOPLE TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS BEFORE IT HAS BEEN PASSED. MR. JOHN BLAGBEN, WHO LEAVES ZAMBIA AT THE END OF FEBRUARY AFTER EIGHT YEARS AS CHIEF JUSTICE, WAS ADDRESSING A PARADE IN HIS HONOUR AT LILAYI POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL.
MR. VALENTINE MUSAKANYA, ZAMBIA'S MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE, SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF MINISTERS GIRLS FOR A DIFFERENT REASONS. AT A PRESS INTERVIEW, HE SAID HE FELT PROUD OF THEM WHEN HE SAW THEM IN THE STREET, SO LOVELY TO LOOK AT, SO INDEPENDENT AND SO MUCH A PART OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
MR. EUSTACE LUMBA SAID HE ENDED THE CAMPAIGN BECAUSE GIRLS WHO WORE MINISKIRTS NOW REALISED THEIR ERROR BUT MR. SIMON KAPWEPWE, ZAMBIA'S VICE PRESIDENT, HAS ALSO SAID THAT ACTION DIRECTIVES ON THE CULTURAL FRONT SHOULD ONLY COME FROM THE RULING PARTY'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
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