Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has courted controversy by slamming women footballers for their ‘flat chests’ adding that they were unattractive and not good candidates for marriage.
Speaking at a ceremony in Dar es Salaam to celebrate the victory of the Tanzanian men’s under-23 football team in the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations championship, Hassan said, “If we bring them here and line them up, for those with flat chests, you might think they are men – not women,”
The first female President of Tanzania went on to add, “And if you look at their faces you might wonder… because if you want to marry, you want someone who is attractive, a lady who has the qualities that you want.”
According to the BBC, Hassan said that while some of the sportswomen were married, most of them were not, ‘and for the way they are, a life of marriage… is a just a dream.’
She said that for the women footballers ‘those qualities have disappeared.’
Hassan’s comments have evoked angry reactions from netizens. One Twitter user, “Pres @SuluhuSamia makes rude remarks on young girls’ soccer team. She affirms that their flat boobs make them unattractive & don’t stand a chance to get married. Magufuli banned pregnant girls from going to school. Samia sustains the ban & makes fun of poor girls w/ flat boobs.”
Another noted, “My God. As if it couldn’t get any worse.” “Outrageous!” observed another Twitter user.
Pres @SuluhuSamia makes rude remarks on young girls’ soccer team. She affirms that their flat boobs make them unattractive & don’t stand a chance to get married. Magufuli banned pregnant girls from going to school. Samia sustains the ban & makes fun of poor girls w/ flat boobs. https://t.co/ZMk00QcKy2
— Liberatus Mwang’ombe (@Liberatus80) August 23, 2021
Hassan became Tanzania’s President in March this year after the death of John Magafuli.