Rwandans in Kigali Want a Dress Code to Be Enacted

The Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA) has proposed that modern fashion be regulated in order to preserve the “decent” Rwandan culture.
This was disclosed on August 2 at the publication of the book “Imyambarire y’Abanyarwanda mu ndorerwamo y’umuco n’iterambere,” which explores the development of Rwandan fashion based on culture and the effect of civilization.

This comes after decades of dispute about what is more culturally acceptable in terms of clothing, with the majority of arguments centering on covering one’s body and wearing clothing that is “overly” revealing.
According to a study conducted in 2022–2023, 76.6 percent of Rwandans believe that the country’s present fashion is respectable.

Young people make up 90.2% of those who believe indecent dressing is prevalent, while young women account for 68.5% of those who believe this.

Short skirts and dresses, “transparent” clothing, sagging pants and shorts, and other items are among the majority of what respondents deemed to be “indecent.”

The Director General of RCHA, Robert Masozera, stated at the occasion that research alone would not be sufficient to ensure the culture’s survival and that additional stakeholders would need to contribute.

The public needs to be informed, and this needs to be done. The need for stakeholders like educational institutions and schools is a result. The only time these toolkits will be helpful is if we conduct morality-related sessions, according to Masozera.

This was echoed by historian Clothilde Umubyeyi, who stated that even the media should play a role in highlighting morals, particularly acceptable dress, in the nation.
Given how the topic of “decent dressing” has been handled in the past, this book is likely to encounter criticism from the general public even if it is most anticipated by some.

Two additional volumes on traditional dances and sayings from Rwanda were also published at the event.

The event was also part of a larger initiative to commemorate the annual “Umuganura,” which is the Rwandan equivalent of Thanksgiving and is observed in August. The academy organizes various cultural preservation initiatives at this time.

On August 4, the Rutsiro district will host a national celebration of umuganura.

Content courtesy of The Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy & NFH