Now, this is not a review, but if it were to be one, I’d start off by saying we need to actively shame leaders for the smallest of inconsistencies in how they represent themselves, their companies, organizations or nations. And with that being said, I am well aware that ones words are never without consequences, so I write and publish this with a full understanding of whichever consequences may result in this opinion piece.  So let’s get into it…

President Duma Boko’s fashion choice at Zambia’s Agriculture and Commercial Show didn’t sit well with a few people, and I think I know why the ripped skinny jeans and sneakers has stirred more than just style commentary. While one could argue he was channeling a new-age approach to leadership from a branding perspective (perhaps inspired by the informal, wartime attire of Ukraine’s President, Zelenskyy – ), for the Black African male leader context,  this isnt it. I would like to put it forward that African leadership is filtered through a different cultural lens.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s casual dress (military-style T-shirts and fatigues) during meetings with global leaders like Trump and Biden was part of a deliberate wartime image strategy, one that was designed to project and uphold solidarity with troops, focus over formality, and a refusal to “suit up” for optics while his country was under siege. It worked because of the very specific national and geopolitical moment.

President Duma Boko, on the other hand, was at a prestigious agricultural show in Zambia, standing beside a fellow African head of state in a setting where tradition, formality, and symbolism matter deeply. Our African political spaces are still steeped in protocol, and many associate leadership with dignified attire, especially when appearing alongside other leaders. 

To reiterate a point : In many African societies, decorum and visual cues of respect are not just old traditions, they are active social codes. When meeting another Head of State, particularly on formal and semi-formal ground, the way one presents themselves through attire carries deep meaning.

President Zelenskyy’s casual outfits work in a global wartime narrative. But in Africa, where dress speaks volumes about power, humility, and respect, President Boko’s chosen attire may have said a little too much, and not all the right things.

Black African leaders should present themselves in ways that reflect the formality and gravity of their roles, especially in diplomatic or official settings. Clothing can be a powerful symbol of respect, unity, and intention so when a political figure like President Duma Boko shows up in ripped skinny jeans and sneakers next to a traditionally suited President Hichilema, and other members of the gathering all dressed formally, it sends a very different message, one that may feel too casual or even dismissive of the occasion, at 55 years of age, as a president of a nation, President Duma Boko, should have done better, worn something smart casual, muted in colours, he should have dressed for the occasion with a bit more casual formality and presentation of procedural respect for a fellow head of state.

Side bar : President Hichilema with the suit and sneakers, ATE (did well). Because those events do need you to be comfortable with your footwear.