Former State Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Balaam Barugahara has revealed that only 12 out of 250 DNA tests conducted to resolve paternity disputes during his tenure returned positive results, while 238 showed no biological relationship between the alleged fathers and the children involved.
According to Balaam, the Ministry frequently received complaints from mothers seeking child support from men who denied paternity, prompting interventions aimed at resolving the disputes amicably. During an interview, Balaam said he personally facilitated DNA testing in 250 cases after mediation efforts failed.
“In my time at that Ministry, I personally ordered and paid for DNA tests in 250 cases I tried to resolve amicably in my office, but I failed. In many instances, the man insisted he was not the biological father, while the woman alleged otherwise and wanted him to take responsibility. Of those 250 tests, 238 came back negative, meaning there was no match,” Balaam said.
He said only 12 tests confirmed paternity, after which the men involved accepted responsibility for their children.
“The remaining 238 men were struggling and being harassed over responsibilities for children that were not their own. That burden I have now left to Gen. Tumukunde at the Ministry of Gender. It is a serious problem and a major source of domestic violence, and DNA testing is the only solution,” Balaam added.
He advised men to be cautious in their relationships to avoid paternity disputes. Balaam cited the recent paternity dispute involving individuals claiming to be children of the late Kadongo Kamu musician Paul Job Kafeero. The dispute was resolved through DNA testing conducted earlier this month, with results released last week.
According to the findings announced by AIGP Andrew Mubiru, Director of Forensic Services at the Uganda Police Force, only four of the 25 claimants were confirmed as biological children of the late musician. The results matched those from the Government Analytical Laboratory and identified Benedict Kafeero, Simon Peter Kafeero, Tomas Kafeero, also known as Swazi, and Elizabeth Nagawa as Kafeero’s biological children.
The outcome reportedly left several claimants emotional, with some expressing disappointment and calling for additional DNA tests abroad. However, Balaam said he sees no reason for further testing, arguing that the latest results corroborated earlier findings.
Connie Nalugwa, a senior marriage counsellor, said the high number of negative DNA test results should not be interpreted as a failure of DNA technology. She attributed many paternity disputes to complex family and economic circumstances.
“A woman may have a husband, but also have another partner who can provide for her needs that her husband has ignored or cannot afford. This often leads to an unwanted pregnancy by someone she did not intend to have a child with, and the only option is to give the child to her husband. This rarely ends well, because as the child grows, the truth becomes apparent, and the man will start to doubt and request a DNA test,” Nalugwa said.
She also noted that some women may seek financial support from wealthy or prominent individuals by claiming they fathered their children. In the entertainment industry, she said, celebrities with multiple relationships are sometimes targeted because of their financial status and public profile.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 98 per cent of DNA tests conducted at the Government Analytical Laboratory in 2025 for men seeking to establish paternity reportedly returned negative results. One editorial caution: the figures cited by Balaam (238 of 250 negative, or 95.2 per cent) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs claim that 98 per cent of paternity tests were negative are unusually high.
If this is for publication, it would be worth seeking independent verification from the Government Analytical Laboratory or the Ministry of Internal Affairs before presenting it prominently. URN