Pretty soon, women in Uganda will be forced to cover up – they can either choose to ditch their miniskirts or face up to a $4,000 fine and 10 years in prison.
This will be in effect immediately if a 2011 bill that’s recently been reintroduced in parliament is signed into law by Uganda President, Yowery Museveni.
“If I met somebody putting on a miniskirt, a miniskirt that explains a lot of what that person has in one’s mind, that person should be arrested,” Uganda’s Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo said.
“What we want to condemn is the provocativeness, that they want to draw somebody to desire them. We are saying that we are blaming and condemning any of these girls who dress so indecently, especially in public areas. We shall not accept it, whether it is fashion or what.”
While there is still hope available for fashionistas in Uganda as the bill hasn’t been signed, government watchers believe that the miniskirt ban will not escape the president’s pen.
“We are sure he’s going to sign,” Lokodo said. “He has not commented on this [publicly] as he has with the anti-homosexuality bill. That means he is comfortable with it.”
Uganda Women’s Network executive director Rita Aciro Lakor says this is an attempt by the government to control and limit women’s freedom.
“They’ll start with clothes,” she said. “The next time they’re going to remove the little provisions in the law that promote and protect women’s rights.”
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