Peter Odeke

This afternoon, myself and other Hon colleagues putting on Kaunda suits in @Parliament_Ug were put to order by Hon @GilbertOlanya (MP, Kilak County) for allegedly being in breach of our @Parliament_Ug rules on dress code. Let me use the opportunity of this attempted charge to give my opinion on this issue of dress code. It's not an issue of fashion but rather its ideological and about our heritage. Many still believe that formal and decent dressing for men is that of a western suit comprising: a tucked in shirt ,a coat and matching trouser with a neck tie. Some of us dont fancy this colonially imposed dress code. Insisting on western styles of dressing to be the ones to define decency is not only an insult to our cultural rights but also to the greater African heritage. It is also an ideological issue. Nelson Mandela's philosophy on dressing/dress code wasn't just defined by another style of fashion but rather by His quest for freedom. His Shirt—commonly called the Madiba shirt; a loose-fitting, brightly colored, patterned silk or cotton shirt worn untucked and without a jacket and neck tie, broke the rigid colonial dress codes to symbolize accessibility, African identity, and post-apartheid freedom. To some of us, these characteristics of the Madiba shirt, speak so deeply to our ideological convictions. I therefore, appeal to Hon Colleague Members of @Parliament_Ug and to all those that believe & emphasize formal dressing to mean a western suit with a tucked in shirt and neck tie as the only formal outfit of smart and decent dress code for men; to seriously rethink their positions. It becomes even worse, if we legislate in our rules of our procedure and impose this colonial dress-code as the Gold standard for Smart, decent & formal dressing. I thank the Rt Hon Speaker @ObothOboth for having ruled in our favor this afternoon and protecting our rights. I am looking forward to appearing next week to the @Parliament_Ug committee on rules to present my proposed amendments on this issue of dress code . African wear must be well understood, well defined and be provided for in our rules of procedure.