Balaam Barugahara urges DNA testing at birth to prevent future paternity disputes – Sqoop

Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara has urged young men to consider DNA testing immediately after the birth of a child, saying it could help prevent paternity disputes later in life.

His remarks come at a time when DNA testing has become a major topic of public discussion following the recently concluded paternity investigations involving the late Kadongo Kamu singer Paul Job Kafeero. Of the 25 people who underwent DNA testing claiming to be Kafeero’s biological children, only four were confirmed to be biologically related to the late musician.

Speaking to journalists at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, Balaam said his experience while serving as Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs exposed him to numerous paternity disputes.

According to the minister, of the 250 DNA tests conducted during his tenure in cases brought before the ministry, only 12 reportedly confirmed the tested men as the biological fathers, while 238 returned negative results.

“Out of the 250 DNA tests we conducted, 238 were negative. The men were not the biological fathers of the babies, yet they were being harassed every day. Only 12 were positive. I appeal to the young people to carry out DNA tests at birth,” Balaam said.

Based on those figures, Balaam advised young men to avoid risky sexual behavior and, where there is doubt, seek DNA testing as early as possible after childbirth to avoid disputes over paternity in the future.

His comments add to the growing national conversation about the role of DNA testing in resolving family disputes, inheritance claims, and questions of parentage.

While Balaam cited statistics from cases he said were handled during his tenure, the figures have not been independently verified through publicly available government reports. Nevertheless, DNA testing has become increasingly common in Uganda as families turn to scientific evidence to settle paternity-related disagreements.