Uganda - Emotional Toll as 98% of Paternity DNA Tests Turn Out Negative

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“In our observations, 98% of the DNA results come out negative. You can imagine a man who has raised a child for 15 years, only to be told he’s not the father,” he added. “It is traumatising, especially for children. If you can avoid it, don’t do it. Live and die in peace.”

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The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has revealed that 98% of DNA tests conducted by men seeking to confirm paternity at the Government Analytical Laboratory (GAL) are turning out negative. This means the majority of men undergoing these tests are discovering they are not the biological fathers of the children they have been raising.

Simon Peter Mundeyi, the ministry’s spokesperson, noted a growing trend of men seeking clarity about their paternal ties. However, the results have been overwhelmingly 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 added that many men leave the laboratory emotionally devastated. As a result, he advised men to either avoid DNA tests unless essential or to conduct them early in a child’s life to lessen the emotional burden. “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,” Mundeyi advised.

The ministry’s caution comes just days after DNA tests ruled out five of the nine children previously claimed to be those of the late Kawempe North MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya. Similarly, one of the children of Prof. Muhammad Kateregga was ruled out after he sought DNA testing amid concerns triggered by domestic violence in his marriage.

A standard DNA test at GAL costs USD 300, covering three samples — typically from the purported father, mother, and child — with each sample priced at USD 100. In a surprising twist, GAL reports that DNA testing is no longer limited to men. Some children are now subjecting their parents to DNA verification, and a few mothers are requesting DNA tests to confirm whether they are the biological parents of their children. The ministry continues to urge caution, citing the emotional and familial disruptions that can follow DNA revelations.

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