Anew DNA test carried out by Uganda Police to acertain paternity dispute surrounding the estate of legendary Kadongo Kamu musician Paul Job Kafeero has confirmed only four out of 25 to be Late Kafeeros biological children.
The Police identified the verified children as Kafeero Bendicto, Kafeero Simon Peter, Kafeero Thomas and Nagawa Elizabeth.
The results were announced in the presence of Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara, officials from the Police Forensic Directorate and the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL), as well as family members, clan leaders and some of the claimants.
The DNA exercise was undertaken to settle long-standing questions over the lineage and inheritance of one of Uganda’s most celebrated musicians, whose death in 2007 left behind an estate that has been the subject of disputes for nearly 19 years.
The latest findings follow a court-authorised exhumation of Kafeero’s remains earlier this month to allow forensic experts to obtain DNA samples for testing. The exercise was conducted by a team of pathologists and forensic experts working with the Uganda Police Force and the Government Analytical Laboratory.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the Police forensic experts and the Government Analytical Laboratory team for their dedication, professionalism and tireless efforts in bringing closure to this 19-year family dispute,” Barugahara
He clarified that the findings were intended to establish the truth and provide certainty to all parties involved in the dispute.
However Health experts say Ugandan men are increasingly embracing DNA paternity tests, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs noting that 95% of those seeking these services are men. However, this trend has led to widespread heartbreak, as testing laboratories reveal that a large majority of the children tested are not biologically related to the men raising them
Paul Job Kafeero (1970–2007) was a legendary Ugandan singer and songwriter, celebrated as the “Golden Boy of Africa”. He was a pioneer of the traditional Kadongo Kamu (“one-drum”) music genre, renowned for his masterful storytelling, poetic Luganda lyrics, and acoustic guitar skills.
Kafeero dominated the Ugandan music scene in the 1990s and early 2000s. He penned timeless classics that addressed everyday societal struggles, love, and life. Some of his most celebrated hits include Walumbe Zaaya: A haunting, 15-minute masterpiece about death that earned him a gold medal at the Cairo Music Festival in 1994.
Anothher catchy one is Dipo Naziggala hit from 2003 that won a Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) Award for best Kadongo Kamu single and Tambula Nange adeeply reflective and culturally resonant song
