BRIGHT COLOURED SUITS BANNED IN PARLIAMENT

MBABANE –  The Parliament of Eswatini will not allow bright colours inside chambers in the 12th Parliament session.

New Members of Parliament (MPs) have been sworn in and the first two crucial orders of business for the House, swearing-in and election of Senators, have passed; the new members are expected to get down to business. Their main hurdle would be to understand the Standing Orders in the House and to adhere to decorum and traditions of Parliament. One of the most significant standing orders is the dress code for the MPs. The dress code for MPs in Parliament varie, depending on the country and its specific regulations or traditions.

systems

In many parliamentary systems, the dress code is formal or semi-formal, reflecting the importance and decorum of the legislative proceedings. Typically, MPs are expected to dress in professional attire, such as suits, formal dresses, or traditional attire that aligns with the cultural norms of the country. In most cases, MPs are responsible for providing their own clothing.
The MPs are expected to maintain an appropriate standard of dressing up, suitable for the parliamentary environment. However, there might be specific rules or guidelines regarding dress code that are enforced by the parliamentary authorities. It is important to note that the dress code differs from one Parliament to another, and there may be variations within different chambers or sessions within the same Parliament.

Eswatini Parliament has enforced strict regulations on bright colours and insisted that MPs should not wear such in addition to jeans, chinos, sportswear, T-shirts and sleeveless tops. Casual shoes, trainers, hats for men, shawls and blankets are also restricted in the 2023 Standing Orders. Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba said it was advisable for MPs to familiarise themselves with the specific dress code requirements of the House, to ensure compliance with the rules and customs in place. “With the 12th Parliament we shall do our best that the House is honourable in every aspect, starting with the dress code from Parliament service staff to MPs. We have already started by purchasing a uniform for all parliamentary service staff so that they also appear in a dignified manner.  We have now developed a policy for staff members that are addressing their dress code. We want dark colours in Parliament from staff to MPs,” he said. Xaba said everyone; including the public and journalists, was requered to come to Parliament dressed executively. He said Parliament was a very important institution in every country and, therefore, they wanted to restore the dignity of the institution.

allowance

“I was very impressed by the dress code of the MPs during the swearing in ceremony. When they get their settling in allowance I want them to buy executive suits for men and women to be in their best,” he added. He said much of parliamentary procedure has developed through continued use over the centuries and some was not even written in the Standing Orders.
This are sometimes known as ‘custom and practice’ of the House. “The MPs dress code has of course changed throughout history. The dress of members these days is generally that which might ordinarily be worn for a fairly formal business approach. However, it is wiser for me to share with you the Standing Orders so that you can get it from there, and then we can engage where there is an issue,” said the clerk.

The official dress for a male MPs and staff in the chamber was highlighted in the 2023 Standing Orders as a formal executive suit, or a pair of long trousers, a shirt, a neck tie, and jacket. A polo-neck, collar less-shirt (Chinese collar shirt), a decent traditional attire without an overcoat, a safari suit, with long or short sleeves and a scarf or a neck tie were part of other items specified in the Standing Orders. “As with the language used, the way in which you dress should also demonstrate respect for the House and for its central position in the life of the nation.”

requirement

In oth requirement er parliaments around the world, there is no exact dress code, but members are expected to wear usual business clothes. Jeans, T-shirts, sandals and trainers are also considered not appropriate. However, in some countries it is no longer a requirement for men to wear a tie, but jackets should be worn. Wearing scarves, T-shirts, or large badges displaying brand names or slogans, or other forms of advertising of either commercial or non-commercial causes, is considered out of order. In the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, members who fail to show respect to the House are not called to speak by the Chair, and anyone showing flagrant disrespect in their manner of dress may be asked to withdraw from the Chamber. While under the rules of order and decorum in the House of Commons there is no Standing Order setting down a dress code for members participating in debate, Speakers have ruled that to be recognised to speak in debate, on points of order or during question period, tradition and practice require all members, male or female, to dress in contemporary business attire. The contemporary practice and unwritten rule require, therefore, that male members wear a jacket, shirt and tie as standard dress.

occasions

Clerical collars have been allowed, although ascots and turtlenecks have been ruled inappropriate for male members participating in debate. The chair has even stated that wearing a kilt is permissible on certain occasions (for example, Robert Burns Day). Members of the House who are in the armed forces have been permitted to wear their uniforms in the House. During the 11th Parliament official opening ceremony at Lobamba, MPs were given a special design of traditional wear and requested to use it. Though some members such as the late Manzini North MP Jan Sithole did not adhere to the call, but he still wore his formal attire.

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