Street Vendors undressing women in Lilongwe for wearing trousers and mini-skirts | Review

Vendors this morning ripped off clothes from almost 11 women, allegedly ordered by some politicians to enforce Malawian culture. The disgusting habit spread and shop owners anticipating trouble have closed their shops. Minister of Gender, Reene Kachere has described this morning’s attacks on women dressed in trousers and mini-skirts by vendors as worse than rape. “I will not rest until justice is done and these women should feel protected by Government. We will not allow a state of disorder to reign in this country,” Kachere warned

The whole saga started as vendors were getting prepared to go marching for the release of their colleagues who had been detained by the police on earlier clashes between the vendors and city council officials on trading places. To their disappointment, the police were fully prepared for them at the station, so they decided to change the motive. But when asked if they were doing the right alternative, one of the vendors who only identified himself as Jailosi told Face Of Malawi that “the ones undressing women are not vendors as they claim, he continued by saying they are just a bunch of thugs probably from Mchesi and Kawale. We the real vendors cannot do such a disgusting thing which as an abomination to our culture as it is as good as undressing you own mom, aunt, sister. It’s very unfortunate that we have chosen to enforce the culture in such a disgusting way…”

Commenting on the same another ‘vendor’ claimed that they got the message from the President that the constitution bans women from dressing in trousers and miniskirts. But contrary to that Lawyer Wapona Kita of Ralph and Arnold Associates posted on his Facebook Wall that “The Decency in Dress Act, of 1973 which made it unlawful for women to wear trousers and miniskirts was repealed in 1993. We now have the 1994 Constitution which guarantees everyone freedom of expression which includes freedom of dress and right to privacy which includes the right to be left alone. Is it Satan using vendors and taking us back to 1973?”

There was drama at Constantini as some women rushed to hid when the so called vendors were undressing women dressed in trousers, leggings and mini-skirts. The vendors threatened the guard at Constantini that they will start looting the whole building if they do not release the women.

The drama continued as some young boys wearing ‘skinny jeans’ were among the victims of the undressing saga as they were stripped off their clothes claiming ‘skinny jeans’ are among other things that are influencing homosexuality in the country. During the time most women were stranded in shops and other places as they feared the unjustified attacks.