Moi University enforces 'decent' dress code among students
The entrance to Moi University's main campus in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County on February 08, 2024.
What you need to know:
- University management has banned its students from wearing revealing clothes such as mini skirts, skin-tight trousers, rugged or ripped jeans.
- Mount Kenya University, Kabarak University, University of Eldoret and Masinde Muliro University have in the past enforced similar dress codes.
The cliché ‘my dress, my choice’ no longer applies for students of Moi University, headquartered in Uasin Gishu county.
The university has become the latest institution of higher learning to enforce a strict dress code to encourage decency among students.
Starting Tuesday, February 6, 2024, the university management strictly banned its students from wearing revealing clothes such as mini skirts, skin-tight trousers, rugged or ripped jeans, crop-top blouses or t-shirts, and low-cut blouses or dresses.
Other pieces of attire that have been banned include sagging trousers, clothing that reveal the chest or cleavage, slippers, crocs, micro shorts, and transparent dresses, blouses that show the brassiere straps for ladies or sleeveless t-shirts and t-shirts with obscene writings.
The ban is not new in the country as several other universities have already implemented the same.
Among the universities that have banned indecent dressing include, Mount Kenya University, Kabarak University, University of Eldoret and Masinde Muliro University among others.
The community around Moi University has hailed the bold move.
Students at Moi University's main campus in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County on February 08, 2024.
On Tuesday, the university announced revised rules and regulations governing student life at the institution.
In the internal memo displayed all over the institution's premises, the administration gave details of the strict dress code for students while on campus.
"I wish to bring to your attention Article 3.1.1 a, c, d, and e of the Rules and Regulations Governing the Conduct & Discipline of Students. The students are expected to dress decently in modest and appropriate attire. Lately, we have observed and noted with concern the indecent dressing by some of you," part of the memo read.
The university's Dean of Students Dr Alice Mutai, stressed in the memo that the institution will not entertain students wearing revealing clothes.
Dr Mutai told Nation.Africa that the memo was not a new thing, but a step to reinforce the law on dress code as contained in the policy and rules governing the institution.
“There is nothing new that we have done. We are only emphasizing the rules that have been existing in school through a revised seventh edition of articles governing our university,” Dr Mutai told Nation.Africa at the main campus on Thursday.
The entrance to Moi University's main campus in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County on February 08, 2024.
Dr Mutai warned students against violating the directive saying it was not negotiable.
The university management’s move has been hailed by a section of students led by University Student Union Secretary General Cornelius Kipkoech.
“The move is overdue. Some students have been walking around the university half-naked. This behavior has caused some of us to lack concentration in class, especially when female students come to class exposing their bodies and wearing revealing clothes,” he said.
Cornelius said the directive would restore sanity among students and redeem the image of the university, especially to prospective employers.
“Comrades should not take the directive as punishment but a positive move meant for their good. Those who are not happy will persevere while within the university compound, they will have the freedom to choose what to wear once out of the institution. Then they can even walk naked if they wish,” said Mr Kipkoech.
Similar sentiments were shared by female students who said provocative attire by their colleagues has been contributing to cases of sexual offenses at the university.
“As ladies, we should not tempt men by wearing suggestive clothes. Some of these attires have contributed to rape cases among students in this university as well as contributed to the recent surge in femicide cases in the country at large,” claimed a female student who spoke to Nation.Africa at the university.
