Uganda’s Tourism minister Godfrey Kiwanda wants to add curvy Ugandan women to the list of products that will attract tourists.

The launch of Miss curvy Uganda

The minister revealed the plan at the launch of a plus size pageant, Miss Curvy Uganda, in the capital Kampala.

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Speaking at the pageant launch on Tuesday, the minister said it would be an exceptional event that will see young ladies showcase their beautiful curves.

We have naturally endowed, nice-looking women who are amazing to look at, Ugandan news site Daily Monitor quoted him as saying.Why don’t we use these people as a strategy to promote our tourism industry?

Unsurprisingly, there was a backlash to the proposal by some Ugandans online.

 

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Some people accused Kiwanda of talking about women as though they were zoo animals, with one  questioning whether they would be put in a cage for the tourists to see. Here are some comments:

@kakatshozi_: In Uganda, curvy women are now tourist ‘products’ as if zoo animals. On a scale of 1-10, how stupid is your tourism minister?
@bae_perfection: Someone explain Tourists will see the curves Will they put these women in a cage for the tourists to see
@stephen_kagga: I can’t believe it’s a minister thinking like this. I start to imagine the type of parent he is. Any Uganda is Gold.
23polite: Are we running out of ideas or it’s too much creativity.. in support of tourism industry. Wildlife vs women in Uganda.
A curvy Ugandan woman

Mr Kiwanda’s suggestion has been called degrading, some want him to resign but a petition has been launched to get the whole pageant plan scrapped.

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