Uganda gov’t advises men to stop going for DNA tests

The Ugandan government has advised men in Kenya’s western neighbour to stop going for DNA paternity testing, saying it is not beneficial to the country’s well-being. 

The country’s minister for Primary Health Care, Margaret Muhanga says it does not matter whether men raising children are their biological fathers and that paternity tests are proving to be just a recipe for chaos.

“It is not really important. If you have raised your child, that is your child. Biology doesn’t matter. No one is looking for him after all. So, stay with your child in order to keep harmony,” Muhanga was quoted by the Daily Monitor newspaper as having said on Tuesday.

“If you hear people killing each other because of DNA, why are you even going for it? Anything that you don’t know can’t kill you. If you don’t know that that is not your child, it won’t break your heart. But when you find out, your heart will be broken,” she added.

Uganda has been reporting cases of violence in families due to DNA paternity test results, some of which have led to death.

Just last week, an Israeli national man allegedly killed his Ugandan wife and buried her remains in a septic tank after DNA sample results from their 6-month-old turned negative.