Tanzania row over wig and hair extension tax

A row has broken out in Tanzania over the government's decision to impose a tax on wigs and hair extensions. Many male and some female MPs applauded and thumped their desks in approval when Finance Minister Philip Mpango announced the tax in parliament. Supporters of the levy say it will help women keep their hair natural.

But there has also been public outrage, with women saying they are being punished for wanting to look good in wigs and hair extensions. Tanzanians tend to uphold traditional values, but society is changing and many women now wear wigs and extensions, the BBC's Aboubakar Famau reports from the capital, Dodoma.

In his budget speech in parliament on Thursday, Mpango announced a 25% tax on imported wigs and hair extensions and a 10% tax on those made locally as part of a series of measures aimed at increasing government revenue. The cheapest wigs currently costs around $4 (£3.40), but they can sell for up to $130.

---BBC