Ugandans are sharing diverse viewpoints regarding the factors contributing to the increase in the number of men choosing DNA testing for their children.
Last week, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported a substantial 70 per cent increase in the number of men seeking DNA paternity tests for their children.
Internal Affairs spokesperson, Simon Mundenyi Mundenyi, disclosed that the monthly average of men requesting such tests has risen from three cases three years ago to a hundred cases. Coinciding with this rise, there has been a surge in instances where DNA tests yield negative results.
To undergo a DNA test involving samples from the mother, father, and child, costs Shs750,000.
Mundenyi disclosed that they have no substantial reasons to explain this alarming trend among men.
In response to this publication’s query about the factors behind the surge in men opting for DNA testing, Ugandans put forth various explanations.
Ivo Mugasa said, “The smartphone! It has facilitated all manner of cheating—emotional, physical, virtual… you name it.”
Mbabazi Dorah commented, “It may be a passing trend.”
Francis C Meri shared, “Women these days are more casual in their relationships, often seeking financial support. Once they become pregnant, they may seek out a responsible man to claim paternity of the child.”
Danlak Spencer Mckenzie expressed, “In this economy, one cannot take responsibility for someone who is not their own without their consent. DNA testing is becoming necessary.”
Irene Namuganza asserted, “The pain and betrayal felt by men upon discovering that the children are not biologically theirs mirror the anguish experienced by women upon finding out that their partners have fathered children outside of marriage.”
The rising demand for DNA paternity tests among Ugandan men reflects a complex set of societal dynamics and personal motivations.