GUIDELINE ON DRESS CODE FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS
ACCORDING TO PUBLIC SERVICE CIRCULAR NO. 6 OF 2020
PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED CLOTHING, USE AND STANDARDS OF NEATNESS FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS
A: PERMITTED CLOTHING AND STANDARDS OF NEATNESS
CASUAL SMART (MID-LEVEL STANDARD) – Women
(a) Dresses and coats or blouses with long or short sleeves and/or hijab;
(b) Skirt/trousers with blouse/coat and/or hijab;
(c) Kitenge outfit and/or hijab;
(d) Short-sleeved Kaunda/safari suit.
CASUAL SMART (MID-LEVEL STANDARD) – Men
(a) Trousers and kitenge shirt;
(b) Trousers and shirt with coat without a tie.
SMART (HIGH-LEVEL STANDARD) – Men
(a) Western suit with a tie;
(b) Long-sleeved Kaunda/safari suit with or without a collar;
(c) Trousers and kitenge shirt.
CASUAL (NORMAL STANDARD) – Women
(a) Dress and/or hijab;
(b) Blouse with skirt/trousers and/or hijab.
SMART (HIGH-LEVEL STANDARD) – Women
(a) Skirt/trouser suit and/or hijab;
(b) Blouse with skirt/trousers and/or hijab;
(c) Kitenge outfit and/or hijab.
CASUAL (NORMAL STANDARD) – Men
(a) Trousers and shirt;
(b) Trousers and shirt and/or sweater;
(c) Trousers and shirt with tie and/or sweater.
USE OF STANDARDS BASED ON PLACE AND EVENT
Ordinary office work
The employee may wear:
(a) Mid-level standard;
(b) High-level standard.
Office or institutional meetings
The employee should wear:
(a) High-level standard.
Meetings between institutions, national or international
The employee may wear:
(a) Normal standard;
(b) Mid-level standard;
(c) High-level standard.
B: PROHIBITED CLOTHING AND APPEARANCE FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS AT THE WORKPLACE
(a) Tight clothes or those exposing body contours;
(b) Clothes exposing above the knees, the navel, chest, back, shoulders; khanga and loose traditional dresses (madera);
(c) Clothes with writings/symbols of any political party, pictures, drawings and messages inconsistent with government work;
(d) Transparent or glittering clothes;
(e) Short trousers (pedal-pushers), shorts, jeans, trousers with many pockets;
(f) Mixed-color shoes and open shoes;
(g) High-heel shoes exceeding five inches for women;
(h) Wearing necklaces over clothes for men;
(i) Hair and beards dyed in strong/bright colors (bleach);
(j) Nails longer than 5 mm and with mixed colors;
(k) Sagging trousers;
(l) Visible permanent tattoos on open body areas;
(m) Earrings and braided hair for men.
“A PUBLIC SERVANT MUST ADHERE TO THIS CIRCULAR AT ALL TIMES WHILE ON DUTY.”
OTHER CLOTHING USE GUIDELINES
(a) Special work duties
Employees must wear special attire appropriate for the specific job (e.g., doctors, engineers, sports, etc.)
(b) Travel, holidays or rest days
The employee may wear free casual.
(c) Fridays or any day designated by the Employer or during commemorative events
Men: Kitenge shirt/T-shirt with institutional content and collar, with trousers for all grades, or kanzu with coat and cap (barkashia).
Women: Kitenge blouse/T-shirt with institutional content and collar, with skirt or trousers and/or hijab for all grades.