Female deputies in Tanzania's National Assembly have demanded an apology for a colleague who was asked to leave the parliamentary chamber for wearing "tight" pants. A member of parliament stated that the attire of some female colleagues brings ridicule to the parliament. During a session on Tuesday, MP Hussein Ammar said, "Mr. Speaker, take for example my sister deputy sitting to my right in a yellow blouse. Look, Mr. Speaker, at the pants she is wearing!"
Following this, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Job Ndugai, ordered Deputy Condester Sichwale to leave, telling her, "Go and wear appropriate clothing, and then you can join us later." Ndugai added that this is not the first complaint he has received regarding the way some female deputies dress, and he requested that the parliamentary administration prevent the entry of anyone wearing inappropriate clothing.
While MP Ammar did not specify what he found wrong with Deputy Sichwale's attire, he quoted parliamentary rules that allow women to wear pants but stipulate that the clothing should not be tight. The deputy was not available to respond to the BBC's request for comment.
A group led by deputies Jacqueline Ngonyani and Stella Manyania insists that this action was unfair and that there was nothing wrong with Deputy Sichwale's clothing. This incident has also sparked comments on social media around the world, with some stating that it is another example of men appointing themselves as overseers of how women should dress.
