17 December 2024
By, Isaac Senabulya
The Director of the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL) Kepher Kuchana, has revealed that the government collected over Shs500M in DNA testing revenue when several Ugandans sought to establish the paternity of their kids, at the height of the national debate around “paternity fraud” in the country.
He made the revelation while appearing before Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee that the consideration of The Forensic Evidence Bill 2024, saying the requests for DNA tests usually increase towards school fees time as men view it a cheaper option than paying school fees.
“When it is a set of a father and a child and the mother isn’t there or dead, that is Shs250,000 each, that is Shs500,000. And we had a spike for the request for DNAs that is what contributed to half a billion in a space of only 3months because there was a spike, when everybody was running, and now, this is December and in January, it is school fees, of course people are coming in for requests, it looks cheaper in a way,” explained Kuchana.
In the same committee meeting, the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, David Muhoozi defended the enactment of The Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024 saying it will help restore public confidence into the investigative state institutions and reduce the levels of criminality in Uganda.
He made the remarks while appearing before Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee during the inaugural scrutiny of the Bill that was recently tabled by Government, as part of the measures to regulate the scientific forensic and industrial chemicals sectors in Uganda.
“It will strengthen national systems for forensic science research, development and knowledge transfer. Attainment of peace and stability in the country, increased confidence in state institutions, reduced level of criminality. Increased public interface, understanding and application of forensic, analytical services and assist with dispute resolution through scientific arbitration between arbitrators and the population,” said Muhoozi.
The Minister also said that The Forensic Evidence BilI,2024 is intended to provide for a comprehensive forensic science service for Uganda; to provide for the designation of the Government Analytical Laboratory as the regulatory body for forensic and scientific analytical services and the National Poison Control Centre; to provide for the establishment of the DNA database to provide for the regulation of industrial and consumer chemicals and for related matters.
According to Government, the scientific-analytical and forensic services in Uganda have no clear structure of regulation and whereas the Government Chemist and Analytical Laboratory is the leading provider of independent scientific analytical and forensic services in Uganda, the laboratory is not the regulatory body for forensic and scientific analytical services in Uganda
“The absence of a clear structure relating to the regulation of scientific analytical and forensic services in Uganda has made it difficult to regulate the forensic science services including the industrial and consumer chemicals. The Bill will enhance the provision of a general wide range of scientific, analytical forensic and advisory services that facilitate effective legal proceedings to dispense fair justice and safeguard the environmental safety of the people of Uganda,” explained Muhoozi.
The Minister informed the Committee that currently, there is no specific policy, reference or law under which the various forensic services are delivered and as such, forensic analytics and laboratory operations and associated standards aren’t prescribed by any specific reference, policy and legal framework.
Muhoozi further argued that the absence of a comprehensive policy, legal and regulatory framework implies that there is no enabling environment that mandates and defines the functions of Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory to facilitate effective and efficient delivery of scientific analytical forensic services.
“This has affected the effective development of forensic science industry and exposed the public to the risk of industrial consumer chemicals. It is also noted that forensic and analytical services are growing very fast extensively integrating a number of pre-existing and emerging developments. This underscores the need to develop a harmonized regulatory regulation to properly guide the development, application and usability of analytical results in these fields,” remarked Muhoozi.
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