How conservative is Kenya?

Women’s voices on societal dictates on acceptable clothing

Walking down the streets of Nairobi can be a daunting task. Society has engraved in the minds of many women the idea that their body should be hidden, deviation from which is deemed reckless and an invitation to trouble. Last Friday, a woman was stripped naked at the Ruaka bus stage after being accused of being inappropriately dressed. She was clad in a mini-skirt. Even if we overlook the fact that the stripping actually exposes the lady more and defeats the rationale that a woman should be fully covered, questions about the reactions a woman’s body elicits from the Kenyan public is one we seek to tackle.

Working in a fairly up-market setting as a Human Resource Manager, Naomi Kahunyo doesn’t view the Kenyan society as a conservative one. “I wear what I feel most comfortable in,” she tells us confidently. She does divulge to us, however, that there is an item of clothing that she would love to wear but cannot due to what is ‘deemed’ acceptable, “It’s a short dress I got in South Africa which is bare at the back and I have never worn it, ever.”

The perks of working in an upscale office complex is a double-edged sword, explains Crystal Ading, “The danger of working in a place like this is that you are surrounded by people who are open and it is easy to assume that society is becoming more progressive.” Speaking of the lady who was stripped at the bus stage, she says, “Kenya is very conservative and you can tell from these things still happening. I am saying this judging from the eyes of the people I don’t know; the ones I pass by on my way to the stage, on the way to the office, even the guards at the gate.”

A constant thread in this conversation with a sub-section of women interviewed was the concern over the reactions of unfamiliar men they encounter on a daily basis. “Even if I wear jeans and a shirt, I still get cat-calls”, laments Crystal. “Kenya is very conservative! I can just tell heads are turning even when I’m wearing modest clothing. You’d rather not wear anything that brings in any attention from these idlers,” says Irene Hay, a Senior Art Director. She admits to “toning it down” to avoid ogling and unsolicited looks being thrown her way.

There is some optimism, however, “I think Kenya is quite conservative but this is changing,” says Diana Njuguna, “what matters is where I’m going and I dress accordingly.” Regardless of where one is appearing, Irene feels that sometimes women are their own worst enemies and judge each other. “I have a very fancy dress which I bought overseas and I can’t wear it in Kenya even at a wedding. The elderly women will have something to say,” she adds.

It is clear that the clothing women chose to wear in the morning affects the way they are perceived and whether they are afforded respect. Leading voice in women’s rights in East Africa, Katy Migiro reports, “In Kenya, the onus is usually on women to dress and behave conservatively, rather than on men to treat them with respect. Sexual violence is widespread, with one third of girls reporting rape, attempted rape or sexual touching before the age of 18.”

In a recent survey conducted by the Nairobi Women’s Hospital Gender Violence Recovery Centre revealed that 80% of men at the Coast, 57% of men in Rift Valley and 56% in Central believed that women get raped because of inappropriate dressing. It is this writer’s opinion that both genders should be alarmed at these results. For the male members of the society, this study shows that a majority of them view their carnal instincts as untamable and something they do not have control of which is slightly demeaning to men everywhere. Whether we can evolve into a society where a woman can express herself with her clothing without igniting the uncontrollable nature of men is yet to be seen.

Is your dress-sense affected by society? Or is your behavior to others dependent on what they are wearing?