2 days ago, I was on my way to Jinja for a workshop.

A conversation broke out in the car, about the use of DNA these days in Uganda.

 

 

Here, we are in a time when so many people are taking DNA tests, in secret, with their children or those children that they think aren’t theirs.

In my mind, this whole conversation struck me as the “use of the DNA, dysfunctional families and substance abuse”!

Allow me to shed some light on this….

 

Photo credit: The Observer – Uganda

 

I want you to picture yourself as a child right now, whose paternity is being highly contested by the person you know as your father due to a few reasons they know best.

You have lived for 17 years now, knowing your Dad as your Daddy or Mama as your Mummy.

From nowhere, you are told by what’s written on some piece of paper that it is all a lie!

And now, you ask your “parents” who your real parent(s) is and they mention a random person you have never known of, your whole life.

How would you feel about that?

 

Photo credit: UN Women Africa

 

How would you live with that revelation?

How would you choose to cope with that new reality in your life?

Do you think you would regret being born?

Wouldn’t you resort to substance abuse of all sorts of manner since you feel that you aren’t wanted by the people on either end?

 

Photo credit: Global Press Journal

 

Would you ever look at your parent(s) the same, ever again?

Would you blame the DNA test or science, in this case?

Would your siblings stop being your siblings?

If you are still going to school, would you even speak to any of your classmates about all this?

 

Photo credit: VOA

 

Do you agree with the school of thought that says that pursuing these DNA tests will bring us dysfunctional families?

Do you agree with those who say that all children are loved (regardless of who their real parent is) and we don’t need to know about what comes from DNA tests?

Do you also think we here, should brace ourselves for a much bigger volume of young people abusing substances?