The government of Zanzibar has banned men from braiding their hair. 

The ban would attract a one million Tanzanian shilling (Ksh.58,000) fine, six-month imprisonment or both for anyone who contravenes the directive.

Omar Adam, the executive secretary of the Council of Arts, Film, and Culture in Zanzibar, said men plaiting their hair is unacceptable.

“Police will arrest all men who plait hair; this is not acceptable by the arts council, and there is a special permit for plaiting hair, which is Sh1 million, and we have set that price in order to deter them. Now it is your choice to either pay Sh1 million to plait or buy a razor to shave,” Mr Adam said on a radio in the morning.

He added that many young people in the popular tourist destination have had the habit of braiding their hair, which he deems to be against the traditions of the Zanzibari people.

“I don’t know if there is any father here in Zanzibar who will take his son to a hair salon. This is not the culture of Zanzibar and we as law enforcers must prevent this,” he said in another interview with BBC Swahili.

According to him, the police would soon clamp down on all men who plait hair in Zanzibar without a special permit.

Mr Adam added that any man who wants to have permission to plait will be required to pay Sh1 million, noting that the law has been in existence since 2015 but has never been implemented. 

He, however, did not state whether it would affect foreigners who visit the island.