A plan to promote Uganda’s tourist industry with a “Miss Curvy” beauty contest has caused a government row in the east African nation.

The proposal to add “curvy and sexy women” to official literature listing Uganda’s attractions, devised by the country’s tourism minister, has drawn an angry rebuke from the minister of ethics and integrity and condemnation from women’s right activists.

Godfrey Kiwanda officially launched the “Miss Curvy Uganda” beauty pageant on Tuesday, with the finalists to be selected in June, as part of his “Tulambule” (“let’s tour”) promotion to attract foreign visitors.

“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,” said Kiwanda at a launch event in the capital, Kampala, while gesturing at a lineup of unhappy looking contestants on a stage.

Ann Mungoma, the contest’s chief organiser, said the initiative was designed to promote an appreciation of beauty in diversity.

“Miss Curvy is an event that will bring out the endowment of the real African woman. It is an exceptional event that will see young ladies showcase their beautiful curves and intellect,” said Mungoma.

Women aged 18 to 35 are eligible to participate in the contest, according to organisers.

But in an angry response to the scheme, Simon Lokodo, the state minister for ethics and integrity, said the contest “definitely could not happen”.

Lokodo said: “It’s shameful. I strongly condemn it. It demeans women and completely destroys their integrity. You can’t bring people from abroad to come and see the physiognomy of your people [women].

“It’s not different from the striptease that they put in bars and lodges. It completely reduces a woman to toys of entertainment.

“I am already receiving a lot of support from women themselves, including [female] members of parliament. Everybody is against the competition.”

Kiwanda has been using women, including socialites Zari Hassan and Anita Kyarimpa Fabiola, as the face of the “let’s tour and explore” innovation, a measure introduced to resuscitate enthusiasm in the tourism sector. In a separate row, a Kenyan TV personality has said she will take legal action over the use of her photograph to promote the contest. Grace Msalame said she was not aware of the campaign, and was appalled that women’s bodies were being used in that way. As social media users mocked the campaign for using a Kenyan to promote Uganda, Msalame issued a strongly worded statement, saying she took “great offence” to her image being used to “propagate, disseminate and encourage the objectification of women.”

The homepage of the Miss Curvy Uganda 2019 website. Photograph: Miss Curvy Uganda

Rita Aciro, executive director of the Uganda Women’s Network, said the minister should resign over “dehumanising” and “degrading” women.

“It’s a shame to women and girls of Ugandans. It’s an exposure of scant knowledge of his job and what it takes. Common sense tells you tourism is not promoted using women’s bodies. Women are not sex objects,” said Aciro.

“Ugandan women have offered better for this country. He should apologise to Ugandans and should resign his position. The government should disassociate itself for the minister.”

Perry Aritua, executive director of the Women’s Democracy Network in Uganda, said: “This is just despicable. Women still [continue to] face derogatory treatment. It’s against the fight against sexual and gender based violence in this country.

“Article 33 of our constitution is very clear that women will be accorded equal dignity with men. So when you objectify women as a form of tourism, you have reduced their dignity

Activist Primrose Nyonyozi Murungi has launched a petition on charge.org calling for the pageant to be scrapped, with overwhelming numbers signing up in support.

“In a country where women are grabbed by men while walking on the streets, they have legalised it by making them tourist attractions. It is not fair. They are objectifying us and reducing women to nothing,” said Murungi.

Uganda earns approximately $1.5bn (£1.2bn) a year from the tourism sector, with the country’s wildlife-rich national parks a major draw, according to government statistics.