Ugandan activists on Thursday slammed a government campaign to use "curvy women" as a tourism "product", which has sparked a furore in the east African nation.

Tourism Minister Godfrey Kiwanda unveiled the campaign on Wednesday at a press conference attended by a bevy of curvaceous women.

"Uganda is endowed with beautiful women. Their beauty is unique and diverse. That's why we decided to use the unique beauty, the curves... to make this beauty a product to be marketed along with what we already have as a country ranging from nature, the language and food, to make it a tourist attraction," Mr Kiwanda told AFP on Thursday.

Part of the plan to market Ugandan women is a beauty pageant, Miss Curvy Uganda, to be held in June.

"The winner of the Miss Curvy contest was to be part of our tourism campaign brand using beauty as one other product of tourism," Mr Kiwanda said.