MUSEVENI: Miss Curvy pageant was not a cabinet decision

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has said that the Miss Curvy pageant was not a cabinet decision.

On Tuesday, the State Minister in-charge tourism Godfrey Kiwanda launched the Miss Curvy Uganda pageant under the Tulambule Tourism project at Mestil Hotel.

He explained that the pageant is aimed at celebrating Uganda’s most curvy women. The pageant has since drawn outrage from the public, who have accused Kiwanda of portraying women as objects of sex tourism.

Asked by journalists whether cabinet took a decision to organise the contest, President Museveni denied, saying that he heard about the pageant in the media.

Museveni who was addressing journalists on Thursday at State House Entebbe, said that the on-going talk about the Miss Curvy pageant could be as a result of excitement from Quin Abenakyo’s success at the Miss World pageant where she was crowned Miss World Africa.

Museveni said that he will inquire more about the objectives of the pageant from the organisers and give guidance.

However, Museveni said that he has not formed an opinion on beauty pageants and does not know how exactly to approach the matter. He said that people should take time and understand the issue and guide those involved.

Museveni however said that he would not allow his grandchildren to participate in such pageants.

Kiwanda is quoted, asking “We have naturally endowed nice looking women that are amazing to look at. Why don’t we use these people as a strategy to promote our tourism industry?”

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stanley Ntagali, has also condemned the Miss Curvy Uganda beauty pageant. He asked the sponsors and partners to cancel it.

In a statement, Ntagali says that the pageant undermines the dignity of women and all that the church has worked for to advance girl-child education.

“It is a disgusting display of exploitation and brings shame upon our families and our country. The government is promoting trafficking to increase tourism. To present such a programme is to demonstrate how low we have fallen as a country. We cannot accept it and we insist that It be cancelled,” reads Ntagali’s statement.