Zanzibar Government has banned men from braiding , with a 1million Tanzanian shilling(Ksh.58,000)fine, or face a six-month imprisonment, or both for any man who breaks the new law.

The country’s Council of Arts , Film, and Culture says the rule is aimed at protecting what it calls Zanzibar’s culture and tradition.

The council’s executive secretary Omar Adam told the media that police will arrest any man who plaits his hair in Zanzibar without a special permit.

In the new directive, any man who wants to plait his air, will be required to pay 1M Tanzanian shilling for the permit.

“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 Sh.1M and we have set that price in order to deter them. Now it is your choice to either 1million shillings to plait or buy a razor to shave,” Adam told Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation.

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

According to Adam , the law has been in existence since 2015, but had not been implemented. He however did not clarify whether it affects foreigners who will visit the island.

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