A Dressing Down For Cabinet Minister

Zambia’s parliament speaker admonished a female Cabinet member for wearing pants in the chamber and ordered her to put on a dress.

Robinson Nabulyato, who has been speaker for 23 years, said Energy and Water Minister Edith Nawaksi was dressed improperly Thursday when she wore a dark, floral jacket and black slacks.

“I would like to ask the minister to go out of the house and dress like a woman,” said Nabulyato, who is Zambia’s longest-serving parliament speaker. “She is not supposed to come here in trousers - can she go and dress properly?”

Nawaksi returned an hour later in a black skirt.