Miniskirts ban at Malawi Savings Bank: Revealing clothing can be offensive

February 10, 2016 Wanga Gwede- Nyasa Times 109 Comments

The once government-owned Malawi Savings Bank (MSB) is expected to change its name to FDH Bank after sale caused a lot of controversy last year, has banned all female employees from wearing miniskirts because bosses fear their employees’ attire could be offensive to some families.

Malawi Savings Bank bans indecent dressing
Malawi Savings Bank bans indecent dressing

In a memo to staff dated February 5, 2016 seen by Nyasa Times signed by  head of human resources Richard Kunjawa, the bank warned female staff that skirts must be of “reasonable” length and also told male workers to ensure they are dressed appropriately.

The leaked memo, addressed to the bank’s branch managers, section managers, and Exco members, advised employees to dress “in appropriate business dress attiree.”

Female staff were told “inappropriate” clothing for the bank included  “garment that are  unnecessarily revealing by women”  such as miniskirts, sleeveless blouses, immoderate and multi coloured hair styles or dreadlocks.

The bank also warned against “uncoordinated dress style or head gear.”

MSB ban in inappropriate fashion is apply to both genders.

Men are instructed against saggy trousers – the sort that are slung so low they reveal half the boxers beneath – and shabby dressing.

The bank   justifies the ban, saying it is about respect.

But one bank worker, who did not want to be named, said: “What is a miniskirt? Are they going to come around with a tape measure?”

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109 replies on “Miniskirts ban at Malawi Savings Bank: Revealing clothing can be offensive”

  2. Islam in my mind,vindicated once again,
    emulate Islamic dress code let’s be honest Amangwetu Muslim women look classy. I was shocked to read a certain article whereby a woman was singing in church wearing just a G-string.[it’s human rights in their eyes]
    The message to all Muslim women out there be proud
    Of being Muslims you’re in right path

  4. Tawasiyeni azimayiwa atopa okha. Tisiyeni tiwasungwanati titimvetse moyo kukoma. Mmene imatopetsera ntchitomo, tidzipumila pati? Umakayitana mu office kudzakafunsa zopanda pake, … ndiye kamadzabwere thighs pamtunda kakuyitsitsira pansi, kuflasha ndi tima breast, …. iwe umangomvera osanenapo zambiri, kakamapita kakuonetse mbuyo. Iwe mtima watsika, … kuyambanso kugwira ntchito. Ndiye mukuti azivala mikanjo? kkkkk. Nnakachinda kamodzi mamamamama, plain ma man! kanali bwino oti mpaka lero ndikakakumbukira kakubuulira ndimangotota ndekha. Kamkazi sikanakome ako, koma kutsekemera. Kanangondipanirira, manja ake mkhosi mwangamu, tinsonga tamabere ake titatota natonso, tikundibayabaya pa chest, nditangombwandiliratu chimbina man, asa! sinnakachitira mwina koma kuusiya umuna utuluke man. A Kunjawa, zangokuvutani man, … musationongera zinthu zabwinobwino ngati izi. Inuyo ngati mmakafuna kena, panani basi.

  5. The cost of buying seal tapes (leggens) will be affected. Nanunso mayo akubank mwakumana nazo. Go FDH Go!!!!!!!!!!!!kk

  6. MSB is skating on very thin ice.Never put this kind of thing in writing,do it by word of mouth and peer – group influence (pressure?) you NUMBSKULLS!! What kind of legal advice are they getting. A simple ‘womens meeting’ in the cafeteria would have done the trick. Some people either dont know, dont care or cannot afford to dress well so they always look skanky.Help them out with friendly advice,presents,golf shirts, blouses,grooming allowances,a raise.Introduce a flexible uniform like ABSA or FNB.But for heavens sake do not write nasty little memos which then get leaked to the press. MSB is setting themselves up for a class action sexual harassment lawsuit.

    Someone wrote in one newspaper that bankers are some of the angriest employees.Its true,do not test them.Maybe miniskirts are the only clothes she can afford,earning a peanut salary!!

  7. this is against human rights! corporate organizations have no legal remit to force dress codes other than introducing a uniform attire. Employees are paid for their tasks plus the bank offers no health and safety reasons to suggest mini skirts cannot be worn at work. This is tantamount to an unfair violation of women workers human rights. What similar code can the bank cite for male workers? If dirty beards, ear rings and dreadlocks are aloud for men, why not mini skirts?

    the bank is becoming a state with pastoral morals for which it does not hold legal remit. ladies should find a good lawyer and take this bank to task!

    1. Yes,we understand the bank,but what that idiot Kunjawa did is stupid.Those women can hang him with that memo and not even Mpinganjira can save him.

  10. Corporates have to maintain a level of “acceptable” attire, as well as professionalism. There’s nothing wrong with demanding that, and it does not sound unreasonable. I go to a bank I respect and get service from, not to see scantily-clad females 🙂

  11. Congratulations mabwana a bank iyi. You will also be blessed, I am sure! Your bank will als prosper and those who abide by these statutes will prosper too, because these are Godly principles. When you act like this you make my God so happy! Enanu bwanji osachita zimenezi? Do you profit from the nakedness that you see around in your work places, eti? Tikukudabwanitu!!!

  12. Is FDH a faith based organization (FBO) or a Bank? MSB ikangochulidwa FDH isiya kutsekula Saturday. Zifika poti wakudya nkhumba, m lamba, m bewa ku FDH ai. Mavalidwewa nd I chiyambi. A competition and fair trading unikani apa.

  13. What agood Bank with good Ideas…am proud of the whole Bank team….Conglats apa nde zikhala bwino

  17. I think this is a good idea. There needs to be a dress code. I once did consultancy for a two governments in the sadc region. They had a dress code for employees. Only in Malawi do we not have dress codes. People in banks dress as if they are going to a shindig.

  19. Some married women indeed are a shame. The way they bahave its as if they are not married. Zibwenzi too much yet their husbands are able to provide everything including kupanga ujeni bwinobwino

  24. KU immigration kuli mrs maulidi amaonetsa ntchafu as if is not married and yet the hubby is moslem. Shame lehu

  26. I dont buy this thinking bannjng minidkirts in banks, what sbout jeans anx trouserd in vhurches.and dwimsuuts at ths wsterfromt or beaches,its your mind that needs vleanding and ban evaporste your dity thoughts !

  27. kodi number one kuchokera kumazere ndi bumbu ndikuwonayo? abale ndikale ninawona bumbu ine la ku malawi.shaaaaaaa

  30. This is what we call kavalidwe koyenela Kuntchito osangoti ziboda pantunda mumafuna akuoneni ndani kufuna kuba moopseza ndi miyendo basi. Ma bwana ena atengelepo phunziro bravo msb management

  32. inu ma mani, number two kuchokela kumanzere ndi chida. no scratch amwene. no mistake. ndatota kale kale ine.

  33. the bank belongs to a God fearing man and as such he has to lead examplarily,yes, even the bible says ” this message of the kingdom shall be preached to the whole world for testimony/witness. Mark the word testimony, meaning its not everyone that is going to accept it,there will be resistance even rejection. But to the sober and honest minds this comes timely,but to the dirt mind this calls for human right debate. Komaa!

  35. A good move indeed by Malawi Savings Bank management. Decency in dress code is needed. We can not allow improper dressing in our institutions. Lets adhere to our good old Malawian cultural norms. This is not breaking freedom of dressing but rather correcting it.

  37. I view this as a logical move taken by the MSB management. At least there has to be a distinction between a female Bank employees and these mere prostitutes littered in our townships whose provocative dressing befits their cursed businesses of transaction for sex. Thus, if someone visits a bank for the first time would, by just a gaze at our so called female bank employees nasty dressing, be vigorously tempted into inferring that some prostitutes have stormed the bank in anguish hunt for their clients who had crooked them. I therefore urge the management to swiftly reinforce the ban so that any stupid female employee who contravenes the ban must be fired unceremoniously and posted to night clubs where this demonic behavior is smiled at. This is the only way decency can be restored among these nonchalant female bank employees.

  38. Some women knows pretty well that they have well shaped behinds and thick smooth legs and they use miniskirts to attract sexually active men for love affairs. You know in Malawi, women are too shy to propose men of their choice and they end up falling in love with men out of convinience and societal consideration that they are not single.

    You tend to find a married woman exposed her thighs anyhow and whilst putting on tight fitting miniskirt. So women rise above your shyness and malawianised cultural norms and start to propose men of your choice.

    The weapon for attracting men is only miniskirts?

  43. i’ll never understand women. they want to be treated as equals but they dress like whores, they say we should respect them then beg for silly things like airtime. azimayi kwawo ndikuphika nsima basi. that’s how god wanted it to be.

    just look at these ujenis in the photo. atangoti mavuto aja apamwezi aja ayambika mwadzidzidzi, wouldn’t it be a disaster? zinazi zimandipangitsa kufuna kulowa chisilamu ndithu. azimayi awo amadzilemekeza.

  47. Paja mwini wake ndi wa seventh day amafuna short hair ma skirt atali atali ogunda pansi osapenta pakamwa kapena dzala amafuna aulemu ngati mkazi wanga.Komadi zikhala bwino akumatifulasha ndimabere makamaka miyendo ife naiwara kutenga ndalama kenako ndikuzati keep change

  48. lM TAKING AWAY MY k10,0000 from this bank to Standard Bank. I was banking with this MSB because of these miniskirt ladies ndie popeza asiya mini skirt basi ndatulukamo

  50. Gentle people every association has its on attire. I have wondered why Banks do allow people to wear the attire that does not tally with the nature of the business. Normally, in Banks and any other places where business is transacted, ethics and etiquette are supposed to be honoured and respected. You do not apply democracy wrongly people!!!! That’s the way to go. If they want to put on such well, in their private functions. Those who did Business Administration will agree with the management. Bravo to the Management. AMENE SAKUFUNA ACHOKE.

  53. Tisaiwale kuti kunja kuno kuli ma UFULU. Kuti anthu atha kuchita zinthu m’mene afunila. Kuti Boma kapena munthu sangaletse mzake kuchita chirichonse.

    Ndikuwadera nkhawa a bankiwo. Komano ndikayang’ana mozama bvuto si a bank kapena anthu amene amaonetsa mkwiyo kapena kunyansidwa, anthu akamachita zinthu zotsutsana ndi chikhalidwe chathu. Bvuto ndi gawo la Human Rights mu Constitution ya Malawi limene polikonza, olikonzawo sanaunikile mbali ya chikhalidwe komanso zikhulupiro za anthu.

    Ndimakhulupilurabe kuti anthuwo ankakumbuka ziwirizi, koma mwina kumene amakumanako kunali zikwapu zimene ankachitanazo mantha. Maiko otithandiza pa chuma, ma NGOs (a tidye nao) osaiwala ena amene amapindula, chuma chikaperekedwa ku department ya Boma. Onsewa atha kukhala ma legeni owophyezera kuti ma Human Rights akhale m’mene alilimu.

    Ma ufulu athu akusowa gawo la udindo wa munthu amene akugwiritsa nchito ufulu wake. Popanda udindo munthu sangakumbuke za kulemekeza chikhalidwe kapena zikhulupiro. Malamulowa aunikilidwenso.

  54. FHD = Mpingajira = Hardcore Seventh Day Adventist = Seventh Day Adventist beliefs to be applied! This is just the beginning. Brace your serfs for massive changes> it wont be a shock if i hear Sat MSB (to be called FDH as per RBM rules) will not be conducting business on Sat.

  55. I read about 52 comments here and my conclusion is that a majority are in agreement with the idea as directed by MSB [FDH] management. However, I would like to say that people are linking the picture in the article to MSB employees. This should not be be the case because the caption on the photo tell you that they simply wanted to emphasise their point. No paragraph or sentence has indicated that way. Secondly, I can confirm with you that the memo has been wihdrawn by Mpinganjira and no such directive is in force. It is claimed that the earlier memo was released without the blessings of the big man.

  60. I would rather be glad if this applied in all ministries and sectors including streets.this is so because fertile men gets moved through female expsure of thighs in that one wishes to see what is next.This ends up a man changing his plans in ordrea

  61. Its good that people at work place should be dressing ufulu ovala osati ovula i salute the one who cam with the idea

  65. Go to Tanzania you will not find ladies putting on mini skirts or armless tops in offices. Its a general rule. Even if you are just a visitor to a certain office yet you are in such type of dressing they send you back to get properly dressed. In the streets or elsewhere it is allowed but not in offices.

  66. Some of the female employees, are married, but their dress code leave much to be desired. The minute a man lets his wife to walk out of the closet dressing inappropriately, revealing some or all the parts f the body that are meant for his eyes only, be rest assured that the affectionate has eroded.
    I personally grapple with jealousy element when my hubby takes off his top attire and walk out side our home, but in side our yard, the thought of his six pack being viewed by another female, just drives me nuts.

  71. simple .why not give the uniform ratherthan giving directive to the clothes they bought with their own money.

  74. Is it true that those people in the picture work for MSB? They are indeed giving the bank a very bad image and change is expected. They can only do so if they want after working hours but still why to undress themselves?

  75. ya i oso surpot the movie zna zmaonjeza amwene taonan pachthunzpo ngat al kutchez skumuyesa munthu kumeneko

  76. I don’t think this is a good idea, after all Nyasatimes you’re not being fair by putting this picture of women who are not from MSB , that is why people here are commenting negatively because they think these women in the picture are indeed from the Bank.

    if MSB wants to control the dressing code of women( because we all know Men have been included just to save the ugly face of gender inequality ) is to provide them with Uniforms.

  77. I wonder why the female MSB workers should forget to wear properly. Bank management has come up with a good idea to remind them the need to dress.

  82. Ife timanena nthawi ya Kamuzu izi kunalibe chifukwa timadziwa kuti ufulu ovala palibe koma uwu ndi ufulu oyenda maliseche/ bunobuno. Mukubwereranso mbuyo? Ife tazolowera koona anthu oterewa. Ovala zazitali ndi akazi anthu. A short time ndiye amenewa. Alimbikitseni achilandire kuti tizivala ngali anthu osati nyama.

  83. Even the Malawi Govt enforces a dress code to employees an example of which are teachers who are not allowed such clothes in the line of duty. They are even required to wear closed shoes! An office should be different from other occasions…..

  85. tapita ukavale sitifuna uhule. ukule usavule. anyamata mkabudula mukutigwira ukapolo. Mpesa udzioneka ngakhale ogwiramo ntchito afanane ndi anthu omwe bwana amasangalatsidwa nawo akawaona. great mpinganjira.

  86. What the management of MSB has put on the min skirts its the right move because our women have gone crazy with unproper way of dressing they are olwez half naked.Those against this you can choose not to work with MSB we dont want stinky things FDH keep it up bravo!!!!!

  88. ooh!!! oooooooh !!ooh!!!!!!! aeish ndikomoka ine!
    tinene akuti mukavula chonchi mumafuna chani? kumuonanso mzimai otereyu, Ali ndi mwamuna penanso mwana ,ndiya mwanayo nkumamuonetsa ku Eden, nonsense. Kwa azimai oti akusowa amuna ndizonveka chifukwa akulakalaka atapeza kaya alanda iye alibe Nazi Ntchito, nchifukwa chake akudziyalutsa chonchi.

  97. How I hate these armless clothes, multi coloured hairstyles and unreasonable miniskirts. Lets be honest an office skirt need to be not below and not above the nee high. It’s very stupid to wear something that exposes your body at the office. Some clothes are made for different occasions e.g dinner, wedding and party. I salute this bank, hope others will learn from them. May be dressings should also be added on the office meeting agenda’s. Other women go to offices as if they are a ready naked. Kufuna Kumakanyansa anthu apa, tsono pa meeting mkumakhala bwanji Makhwapa kwapa kwapa.

  99. Finally ….They got it right this time……Akazi athu achimalawi kupusa….Uhule panono ndi swag……

  100. I don’t think this is true reflection of how MSB female employees dress in their offices I have never met such dressing all the time I have been transacting with this bank, amenewa ndi mahule aku bwandilo musatinamize nanga wakhala koyambililako from left kuoneselatu katundu mmmmh

  101. amayenjedzadi athu amenewa amavala ngati ife sanatisiye munyumbamu ai.ndipo lingofunika kuti boma lilakhuleposo pa mavalidwe onyasa ngati amenewA.iiiiiiiya……..

  103. Not only at savings but pass on to all our female members fo the good our male malawians to reduce the crime cases of Rape

  106. Love this one now, battle between employer and employee. Lets see what rights organations will say now? Gift Trapency and Mr Mtambo muti bwanji pamenepa?

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