Minister Balaam Barugahara has triggered renewed public discussion after disclosing what he describes as alarming outcomes from paternity DNA tests handled during his tenure at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. His remarks have placed DNA testing and family trust under fresh national scrutiny.
Speaking on the matter, Barugahara said that hundreds of paternity-related petitions were processed through official channels, with most cases producing unexpected results that challenged long-held assumptions about biological fatherhood.
He revealed that out of 250 DNA tests conducted, 238 men were reportedly found not to be the biological fathers of the children they had been raising or supporting. According to his figures, this represents approximately 95.2% of the total cases handled.
Only a small portion of the tests, he added, confirmed paternity. He said just 12 cases out of the 250 showed a biological match between the alleged fathers and the children in question, a ratio he described as deeply concerning.
Barugahara used the findings to caution men who may have doubts about their paternity status, encouraging them to consider DNA testing as a reliable method of resolving uncertainty rather than relying on assumptions or social pressure.
He linked his remarks to the recent DNA controversy surrounding the family of the late Kadongo Kamu musician Paul Kafeero, where tests reportedly showed that only four of 25 individuals tested were biologically related to him.
The Kafeero case has since sparked intense public reaction, with sections of the family disputing the results despite scientific confirmation, further fueling debate about identity, inheritance, and truth within families.
Barugahara’s comments have therefore added momentum to an already sensitive national conversation, highlighting how modern genetic testing is increasingly reshaping discussions around fatherhood, responsibility, and trust in Ugandan society.
