Zimbabwean lawmakers have raised concerns over the increasing use of skin-lightening products among both men and women, calling for stricter laws to curb their importation and sale.
During a parliamentary debate on Wednesday, legislators discussed a motion introduced by Harare East MP Kiven Mutimbanyoka, which called for legislative reforms around the sale and distribution of skin-lightening creams.
Several MPs urged the government to tighten restrictions on the products and penalise vendors more harshly.
Midlands MP Perseviarance Zhou stressed the urgent need for public education on the dangers of these creams. She said both men and women should be taught about the risks, and that the Ministry of Health should lead the effort.
“I’m imploring this august house to come up with a very concrete programme together with the ministry of health to teach people about the dangers of using lightening creams. The education must include both men and women,” said Midlands MP Perseviarance Zhou.
She added that women, in particular, face severe health complications.
“From my research, the use of these creams is dangerous, especially for women. It can cause permanent complications, particularly when one wants to conceive. The danger of using lightening creams is that when someone is hurt and there is need for stitching, the skin will now be too delicate,” she added.
Mt Darwin MP Barbra Thompson echoed the sentiment, saying the products were wreaking havoc in communities and needed to be addressed through new laws.
Other MPs also highlighted the importance of awareness campaigns. One lawmaker said the country needed to “approach the issue wisely” and prioritise education to reduce the use of harmful creams.
Murehwa North MP Noah Mangondo pointed out that despite existing laws — including Statutory Instrument 216 of 2019 — the harmful products are still widely available. He blamed weak enforcement and called for better coordination between government agencies like ZIMRA, the Medicines Control Authority, and the Health Ministry to stop the flow of banned creams into stores.
But not everyone was on the same page.
Hwange Central MP Daniel Molokele-Tsiye urged caution, saying the debate should also consider the motivations of people who use skin-lightening products.
“I want to encourage us to be very careful and as a country, we need to listen more to those who are doing the skin lightening or skin bleaching. We need to go into their psyche and understand what message they are trying to bring to the society. We should not make assumptions about their behaviour and conduct. We must respect their rights,” he argued.
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The post MPs Push for Tougher Laws to Ban Skin-Lightening Creams appeared first on iHarare News.
