The Ministry of Internal Affairs has spoken out on an incident in which songstress, Winnie Nakanwagi also known as Winnie Nwagi was turned away at their headquarters in Kampala last week.
In an incident whose video recordings made rounds on social media, the singer who had gone to Internal Affairs Ministry headquarters along Port Bell road in Kampala was turned away by female Police Counter Terrorism officers as she tried to access the premises.
Many have since blamed security for turning the popular singer away.
Commenting about the incident, the Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, Simon Mundeyi confirmed that the singer was turned away for being “naked.”
Mundeyi explained that whereas security had not noticed the indecent dressing, it was brought to their attention by a group of children between eight and nine years old who had gone with their parents to apply for passports.
“The way she was dressed disturbed these children who were with their parents. She was putting on very shot patra pants portraying her thighs. She also put on a jacket but had several holes and the breasts were literally out and being exposed to the public,”Mundeyi said.
“This kind of dressing disturbed young kids and it was brought to the attention of the security personnel at the ministry.”
The Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson said they have a particular dress code they follow, noting that anyone who violates it cannot be allowed to access their premises, no matter their status .
“Her dressing was against our policy on dressing code. She was almost naked. Her dressing didn’t fit in our dressing code. We don’t entertain naked artists at our offices.”
Mundeyi also explained that when security tried to speak to the singer, she hurled insults and obscene words to officers as she defended her dressing code.
“Our offices have a dressing code that welcomes in-laws, children, religious leaders, and all kinds of people. We turned her away for dressing indecently. Let her dress properly and we will not turn her away.”
Following the incident, many members of the public, including Winnie Nwagi’s father blasted officials at the Internal Affairs Ministry for being selective in applying the said dress code.
These said that had it been whites who had come dressed in such a manner, they would not have been turned away.
However, the Internal Affairs Ministry spokesperson insisted that they dress code is enforced on all persons who come to their offices.
