Few years ago two matatu crew from Githurai were jailed for life after they were found guilty of among other offences, stripping a female passenger whom they argued had dressed indecently.
This portrayed that majority of the people in that crowd were silently in agreement with what the culprits were doing to the poor lady who is said to have donned a revealing miniskirt on the fateful day.
While that single occurrence was undoubtedly just an anecdote of what many other ladies who opt to wear miniskirts undergo oftenly in the hands of the self-appointed moral police, what is the place of miniskirts in African traditional culture and specifically among Kikuyus?
Well, according to Gikuyu Centre of Cultural Studies (GCCS), a Kikuyu lady wearing a miniskirt will have committed no offence as it was the order of the day before westernization set in and ran most of us amok.
Also Read: 5 Key Steps Involved in Kikuyu Ngurario Ceremony, Symbolical Significance of Each
"This is a bit strange as even a cursory glance at African traditional dress and the dressing mode of some of the tribes still untouched by western values even today reveals a wonderful celebration of the human body and a matter of fact acceptance of nakedness," documents GCCS.
Do you Agree/Disagree With the Contents of This Article? Share Your Thoughts by Clicking Here.
According to the cultural centre, there were no issues of exposure as 'strong leg calves (ikere) and thighs (ciero) were highly valued as symbols of strong motherhood and were not seen as nakedness'.
The issue of miniskirts and 'indecent exposure', GCCS notes, was brought about by the colonizers who perceived it as 'obscene and primitive'.
"The Gikuyu women needed the short skirt as it was an appropriate working garment that gave the knees and legs a lot of freedom," the cultural centre adds.