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(CNN) – An online petition calls Uganda's Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiques to give up its beauty contest "Miss Curvy Uganda".
The petition follows Ugandan Minister of Tourism Ugandan Godfrey Kiwanda's comments at the launch of the parade in Kampala on Tuesday, when he said the country's women should be used as a strategy to boost tourism.
"We naturally have gifted and pretty women who are amazing to watch," Kiwanda said. "Why do not we use these people as a strategy to promote our tourism industry?"
The pageant is part of the Tulambule initiative of the ministry which aims to showcase Uganda's tourist attractions.
Curved women have now been added to a list of tourist attractions including also national parks, wild animals and spectacular waterfalls.
Godfrey Kiwanda, Ugandan Minister of State for Tourism.
From Twitter
Generalized sentence
Unsurprisingly, the suggestion of using women to attract foreign tourists has been largely condemned by social media, the local press and another cabinet minister Ugandan.
Minister of Ethics and Integrity Rev. Simon Lokodo called on the Ministry of Tourism to present the wide range of tourist attractions in Uganda instead of "scandalizing" the country.
"I totally condemn this show and I would like it to be stopped," Lokodo said in an interview with Record TV Uganda. "It's not fair for women and girls growing up because it does not make them worthy."
Murungi described it as "degrading" and "objectifying".
At the time of writing, the petition had collected nearly 1,800 signatures.
Multi-million dollar industry
The finalists of the contest should be selected in June according to the organizers, but it is unclear whether he will always go ahead considering the controversy aroused.
The Ministry of Tourism has not commented publicly since the beginning of his remarks.
The incident is the second time in a few weeks that Ugandan men have made derogatory comments about women.
In December, President Yoweri Museveni criticized Quinn Abenakyo, winner of the Miss World Africa beauty contest, for "wearing Indian hair".
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