No, Magufuli has not banned miniskirts in Tanzania
The Tanzanian government has denied media reports that President John Magufuli has banned miniskirts in the East African country.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, the Tanzanian government blasted a Kenyan newspaper for misreporting and urged it to retract the story.
The story, published on Monday in the Standard’s Monday Blues pull-out, claimed that President Magufuli had banned miniskirts in a particular district that has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence.
DECENT DRESSING
In the statement, the government stated that President Magufuli and his government are strong proponents of decent dressing but had not issued such a ban for any reason.
“While it appreciates the enthusiastic, positive reviews of H.E President Magufuli’s performance in the Kenyan and international media, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes strong exception at irresponsible distortions and misreporting, such as the one on miniskirts,” the statement said.
The Tanzanian government noted that as mainstream media, Standard newspaper is obliged to observe the highest standards of journalism.
RETRACTION
“The ministry trusts that the distortion in question was inadvertent, no malicious attempt to undermine the new administration in Tanzania, and that the Standard will show good faith by at least retracting the wrong information fed to readers,” concluded the letter.