A female MP in Tanzania was on Tuesday kicked out of parliament over her ‘tight’ trousers. A male MP had complained about her dressing to the Speaker of the House after a session of questions and answers, reports said.
“Parliament is a mirror of society and Tanzania, and some of our sisters are wearing strange clothes and are legislators. What are they showing to the society?” Hussein Amar said in parliament.
“Mr. Speaker, an example there is my sister seated on my right with a yellow shirt. Look at the trousers she has worn, Mr. Speaker!”.
The female MP, Condester Sichwale, was then ordered by the Speaker to leave parliament. Speaker Job Ndugai told her: “Go dress up well, and then join us back later.”
Ndugai said he had received so many complaints about how female parliamentarians dress “inappropriately” to the House. He added that henceforth, any female MP who goes against parliamentary rules on dressing will be thrown out.
According to MP Amar, parliamentary rules allow women to wear trousers, however, clothes should not be tight-fitting, BBC reported.
Female MPs have since demanded an apology. A group led by MPs Jacqueline Ngonyani and Stella Manyanya said they found nothing wrong with their colleague’s attire.
People on social media are also outraged over the incident, saying that it goes against the fight for women rights.
“I am annoyed with this. Like, really? I hate it when women’s clothes, bodies and decisions are policed by men. And those pants ain’t tight!! Uugh. Such a mysogonistic power trip by the speaker,” one Twitter user wrote.
“This could be shocking to me if I haven’t in real life met men who believe that how a woman dresses is some type of sexual harassment to them,” another wrote.
“African leaders they leave the main issue and talking something that will not benefit the society. It shows that there is no integrity in that parliament building,” one added.
