This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
On August 16, 2019, a heated debate erupted in Embu County Assembly when MCA Margaret Kariuki rose to contribute, citing her points would be 'short as a miniskirt.'
Her comment immediately drew the attention of her colleagues, who were seated in the assembly, to her attire.
Men refused to sit through the session when the MCA was clearly provoking them, and the debate was temporarily interrupted.
Mavuria MCA Ngari Mbaka wondered what was wrong with the dressing code of the assembly, pointing out that when men went to the chambers while improperly dressed, they were thrown out.
As you can see now, the person who is contributing is provoking us, and if you look at what she is wearing, it is extremely short, Mbaka claimed.
Temporary Speaker Phillip Nzangi, however, allowed Kariuki to continue contributing to the session because he could not see from his seat whether her dress was as short as alleged.
Following the complaints, Kariuki told the Speaker that she considered her dressing to be executive and challenged Mbaka to concentrate on legislative business.
The Temporary Speaker ordered that each MCA obtain a copy of the Speaker's rules and Assembly Standing Orders that contained the dressing-code for both male and female legislators.
