Ugandan men left ‘heartbroken’ as only 2% of DNA tests confirm paternity
An overwhelming 98% of men undergoing DNA tests at Uganda’s Government Analytical Laboratory (GAL) are discovering they are not the biological fathers of the children they have been raising, the ministry of Internal Affairs has revealed.
Simon Peter Mundeyi, spokesperson for the ministry, described a sharp increase in men seeking to confirm paternity, but said the results have often been heartbreaking.
“We have experienced a surge in the number of people carrying out DNA tests on their purported children. In just three days, we received 94 or more cases. About 95% of those coming for DNA tests are men, but more than 98% of the results show these men are not the biological fathers,” Mundeyi said.
He noted that many men leave the laboratory emotionally devastated, especially when they find out that children they have raised for years are not biologically theirs.
“My advice, as usual, is: do not engage in DNA unless you have a strong heart. Many of these men come with children aged around 15, and it deeply pains them when they’re told the children are not theirs. Please do DNA tests when the children are very young,” he added.
Mundeyi’s remarks come just days after high-profile DNA revelations ruled out five of the nine children initially claimed to belong to the late Kawempe North MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya.
In a similar case, a DNA test recently confirmed that one of the children of Prof. Muhammad Kateregga, proprietor of Kampala University, was not biologically his, following suspicions stemming from domestic disputes.
A standard DNA test at GAL costs $300 (about Shs 1 million) and covers three samples, usually from the alleged father, mother, and child. Each sample is charged at $100. In a surprising development, GAL reports that DNA testing is no longer limited to men.
Some children are now requesting DNA tests to confirm their biological ties to parents, and in rare instances, mothers are seeking tests to verify if they are the biological mothers of their children. The ministry of Internal Affairs continues to urge the public to exercise caution before pursuing DNA testing, warning of the potential emotional and familial disruptions that can follow.
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