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Moses Wetangula, Speaker of the National Assembly, has officially banned lawmakers from wearing Kaunda suits while they are on the floor of the house.
Legislators will no longer be permitted entry to some areas of the building, such as the chamber, lounge, dining room, or committee rooms, unless they are dressed appropriately.
This is according to Wetangula’ s Tuesday reference to Rule 9 of the Speaker’ s Rules, which specifies the dress code of Members of Parliament.
While acknowledging that his predecessors had permitted members of parliament to wear Kaunda suits— also known as Mao Zedong coats— Wetangula deemed such dress unsuitable for the House.
” Kaunda suits have never been a problem for my predecessors. . . It is now strictly forbidden to dress in a manner not specified in Rule 9 of the Speaker’ s Rules. His statement encompassed both long- and short- sleeved Kaunda outfits.
In the chamber, the committee rooms, the lounges, and even the dining facilities, all members are expected to adhere to rule 9.
Speaker Wetangula made the case that the rules needed to be obeyed in order to restore order in the House, stating that the traditional dress code of Parliament was being replaced by developing trends in fashion.
” My predecessors have had no problem with Kaunda suits. . . but due to new fashion trends that are threatening the established dress codes of Parliament, it is now necessary for me to leave the previous ruling on the admission of Kaunda suits as appropriate dress, ” he stated.
” I do this to make sure we don’ t break any rules, which is particularly important considering how casually members are expected to dress right now. The gravity of the House and its committee deliberations is not suited to this approach, to put it mildly, ” he added.
Simultaneously, the Speaker forbade men from donning traditional headwear as well as other cultural garments.
” No man may enter the chamber or any committee while wearing a cap or hat. The chamber, lounges and dining areas are areas off-limits to traditional cultural attire,” he said.
As to the dress code regulations set forth by Parliament, men are expected to wear a coat, collar, tie, long- sleeved shirt, long pants, socks, shoes, or a service uniform; women are expected to dress in a businesslike, formal, or smart casual manner.