Tanzanian MPs call for apology after member removed over ‘tight’ trousers

Female members of Tanzania’s parliament are calling for an apology after their fellow MP was required to leave the chamber on Tuesday due to her pants, which a male Speaker of parliament deemed to be too “tight.”

Condester Sichwale, a female minister for Tanzania’s ruling CCM party, was ordered to leave parliament after her male colleague, Hussein Amar, complained that her attire was inappropriate.

“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!” Amar said, according to BBC.

KICKED OUT

Tanzanian MP Condester Michael Sichlwe caused a stir in parliament in Dodoma today ‘by wearing black tight-fitting trousers, and yellow top’.

Speaker of Parliament Job Ndugai threw her out for wearing ‘non-parliamentary attire’.

@Hakingowi pic.twitter.com/n8vxabWLQV

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) June 1, 2021

Sichwale, who was wearing a bright yellow top and black slacks, was then asked to leave by Speaker Job Ndugai.

“Go dress up well, and then join us back later,” he said, adding that he had received other complaints about the way female members of the parliament dress.

Ndugai then requested that chamber orderlies refuse entry to anyone who was not dressed appropriately, BBC reported.

Amar reportedly declined to answer what he found to be offensive about Sichwale’s attire but did tell BBC that parliamentary rules state that clothes should not be tight-fitting.

Other female MPs, including Jacqueline Ngonyani and Stella Manyanya, pushed back on Amar’s claims, insisting that nothing was wrong with Sichwale’s attire and that she was treated unfairly.

Women on social media also came to Sichwale’s defense, calling out the move as misogyny.

The patriarchy is alive & well in Tanzania. ‍♀️ When skin color isn’t the issue, there’s always gender.

This is a lovely, fashionable outfit. Non-parliamentary attire? Is that spelled “misogyny”?#GenderEquality #sdg5 https://t.co/ZOcbTICnBK

— Lauren – Lorena – Litha ❤️ (@LaurenOPV) June 3, 2021

It is not clear if Sichwale did receive an apology.