Zanzibar President, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi has warned tourists visiting the island from wearing skimpy clothes like bikinis and thongs in public during this festive season.

Speaking on Wednesday at State House, Dr Mwinyi said his government has initiated measures to educate incoming tourists on how to dress while on vacation in Zanzibar.

“We have come up with good procedural measures to enlighten tourists entering Zanzibar as to how they will be required to conduct themselves in regards to preserving Zanzibar's culture. For instance, their dressing code; a tourist can dress skimpily while relaxing at the beach, but will not be allowed to show up in public places like estates dressed up like that,” Dr Mwinyi warned.

The president said one of the measures established was issuing brochures and flyers to arriving tourists detailing what will be required of them during their stay in Zanzibar.

“The sole reason for doing this is to ensure we are protecting our culture from being polluted by the foreign cultures that do not conform to ours and which we do feel are against our values,” he added.

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In March, Zanzibar’s Tourism Minister Lela Muhammed Mussa told CNN the moves were occasioned by increased cases of public nudity and offenders risk fines of up to $2,000.

However, the minister clarified that the fines would be slapped on establishments hosting the tourists, operators and tour guides who will be held accountable for their offences.

“If you are a tour guide and you have a tourist who is indecently dressed in a public place, you will be fined between $700 to $1,000 depending on the severity of the issue. An operator found in a public area with scantily dressed tourists will be penalized between $1,000 to $2,000),” warned Mussa.


PHOTO/COURTESY

Tourists will be required by law to cover themselves up from their knees up to the shoulders when they are in public places to avert facing the wrath of the Zanzibari authorities.

“We respect the differences that we have from different nations and different people but it is the responsibility of visitors to understand the cultural practices and code of conduct of Zanzibar before they come into the country,” she added.

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous Muslim region of Tanzania and the code of conduct on her official tourism website bars visitors from wearing swimsuits and skimpy outfits as well as taking alcohol and kissing in public save for resorts and in hotels.