President Paul Kagame urged young people to think critically about changing social norms, including dressing styles, saying society has a role in shaping values and determining what it considers acceptable.

Speaking during the #MeetThePresident engagement at BK Arena on Wednesday, October 21, Kagame said practices adopted from other cultures should be discussed and assessed rather than accepted without question.

His remarks came amid public debate over indecent dressing styles following a viral video showing a young woman who was stopped from entering a venue because of her outfit. The incident sparked discussions on social media about dress codes, public decency and the enforcement of rules related to public appearance.

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Commenting on the incident, Kagame said police officers involved had not paid sufficient attention to the applicable rules, underscoring the need for authorities to understand and properly apply the law.

"Society has a way of regulating itself. When we see things elsewhere and try to introduce them into our society, people may react differently. Instead of fighting over such issues, they should be discussed and regulated without creating hostility,” he said.

"I saw how this instead sparked hostility on social media, with people calling each other out, turning the issue into a much bigger problem,” he said.

He compared society’s response to unfamiliar practices to the body’s reaction to a foreign substance, arguing that communities may gradually resist behaviours they consider inconsistent with their values.

"Just as the body fights to expel a foreign substance that enters it, society also pushes back gradually when something unfamiliar is introduced. But this should not lead to conflict,” he said.

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Kagame urged young people to reflect on the values they want their society to uphold, particularly when practices might have harmful consequences. He cautioned against assuming that a behaviour is acceptable simply because it has become common.

He also called for open discussions about social expectations, saying children should grow up understanding the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

"While you are still young, think about these things. Look at what is acceptable in your society and what has become part of your culture, especially when certain practices can harm people. Speak openly and directly about the negative aspects so that children grow up understanding what is wrong,” he said.

Kagame said societies need to be clear about their boundaries and the values they expect people to observe, while allowing relevant institutions to provide guidance when disagreements arise.

"Every society has things it accepts and things it considers taboo. We need to be clear about these boundaries so that people understand what they should follow. The relevant authorities and institutions also have a role in providing guidance, even when people disagree,” he said.