Nairobi, Kenya: Members of Kenya’s parliament have prohibited showing up to government offices in one of East Africa’s most recognized attires, the Kaunda Suit.
Also known as the Mao Zedong suit, the piece of clothing popularized by and named after the late Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda has been banned within the confines of Kenya’s parliament, as seen in a report by the British news platform, BBC.
The parliament’s rationale
Moses Wetangula, the speaker of the parliament noted that the suit was no longer welcomed, alongside other traditional attires.
The speaker also noted that the suit was banned because of the emergence of fashion trends that posed a threat to the parliamentary’s standard of dressing.
“A coat, a collar, a tie, long-sleeved shirt, long trousers, socks, shoes, or service uniform,” constituted what Wetangula referred to as a proper dress code for men.
“For ladies, business, formal, or smart casual wear applies. Skirts and dresses should be below knee-length and decent. Sleeveless blouses are prohibited,” he added.
The speaker noted that the use of these suits has been overlooked by the parliament in the past, but now has to be addressed because of the office’s dress code which has come under threat.
Over the years, the president of the country has made the suit one of his go-to outfits. He typically wears this suit on official duty, which at some point made the suit trend on social media, as reported by BBC.
The Kenyan president has become synonymous with the attire as he often can be spotted in different designs of said suit. The suit has also become popular among the political class and has become somewhat of a fashion statement in the East African region.
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