Cases of men seeking DNA paternity tests for their children in Uganda have seen a significant rise, with a 70 percent increase reported by the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The ministry revealed that three years ago, an average of three men per month sought paternity tests, but that number has now surged to a hundred per month.
The ministry spokesperson, Simon Mundenyi, expressed his astonishment at this alarming trend, stating that last week alone, approximately 40 individuals approached the ministry seeking DNA services, aware that the Government Analytic Laboratory provides such facilities.
Mundenyi admitted that he lacked concrete reasons to explain the sudden surge in paternity test requests. However, one possible motive he mentioned was that some men aim to evade the responsibility of fatherhood.
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Uganda has witnessed a rise in cases where DNA tests turn out negative, indicating that the men in question are not the biological fathers of the children in question.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the cost of a DNA test involving three samples—mother, father, and child—is approximately UGX 750,000, equivalent to Ksh. 28,000.
This increase in demand for DNA paternity tests in Uganda sheds light on a concerning societal issue, with implications for families and child support responsibilities.
