No crocs, miniskirts as Masinde Muliro university cracks down on indecent dressing

Masinde Muliro University

The main gate of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kakamega County.

Photo credit: File| Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Also banned are skin-tight trousers, ragged/torn or ripped jeans, low-cut blouses and dresses. Memo also cautioned women against putting on micro shorts, transparent dresses, attires that show bra straps, and sleeveless T-shirts.
  • Male students have also been banned from wearing sagging trousers and clothing that reveals their chest

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) has banned students from wearing plastic shoes, slippers, crocs, miniskirts and rugged jeans, among other 'indecent wear', terming them unofficial.

The institution cautioned students against indecent dressing while at the institution, a move that has already drawn mixed reactions from a section of students.  

Read: Kabarak University bans inappropriate dress code among students

According to an internal memo dispatched on Wednesday, the institution's Dean of Students Bernardatte Abwao raised concerns over some of the learners' increasing cases of indecent dressing.

"I take this opportunity to appreciate all the students who dress decently when they come to the university.

"However, we have observed and noted with concern the indecent dressing by some of you," noted the memo in part.
The Kakamega-based institution has banned wearing t-shirts with obscene writing, crocs, slippers and all kinds of plastic shoes.

Dr Abwao stated that those wearing micro/mini skirts, skin-tight trousers, rugged, torn or ripped jeans, tumbo-cut blouses and T-shirts, low-cut blouses and dresses will not be allowed entry into the institution.

The memo seen by Nation also cautioned female students against putting on micro shorts, transparent dresses, attire that shows bra straps, and sleeveless t-shirts.

The male counterparts, on the other hand, have been banned from wearing sagged trousers and clothing that reveals their chests.

"As a student, you are expected to dress in modest and appropriate attire," the dean said.

But a journalism student at the institution, Brian Omollo, who is also a male representative in the School of Arts and Social Sciences, called on the administration to give students time before implementing some of the new rules.

“While we welcome the move to ban miniskirts, tumbo-cuts and other revealing attire, I feel it’s harsh to prohibit students from wearing slippers, Crocs, and plastic shoes,” said the third-year student.

He, however, called on the administration to consider extending the dates for some of the directives to enable some learners to adhere to the new rules.

"We have some students from poor backgrounds who may find it difficult to acquire the required outfits and immediately adhere to the new dress code,” he said.

James Wanyama, a resident, however, lauded the administration for coming up with the new regulations, which, he noted, will promote morality and modesty.

"This is in line with the objectives of our institutions of higher learning, which are geared to mold professionals with high standards of integrity,” he said.