ONGWEDIVA- Northern traditional authorities said they are against men who take children for DNA testing without an official consent letter from either the court or traditional authority.
Senior traditional leaders who spoke to New Era yesterday said taking a DNA test is needed, however, it will cause deaths and injuries, where men and women commit suicide.
The Omukwaniilwa of Ondonga Traditional Authority Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo said DNA testing should be done where it is urgently needed but not because of paternity rumours.
“It is very wrong and dangerous for a man to take his children’s DNA without consulting the court or traditional authority. Men should have official consent instead of going to a private doctor,” he stressed.
Nangolo clarified that he is not against DNA testing but there should be regulations in place.
“DNA helps to identify the father of a child when men are denying their children. It helps us, especially in the community court where we receive cases of men denying children,” said Nangolo.
He said if a man is unsure of the child’s paternity or experiencing conflicts in the marriage, he should approach the traditional authority or court of law.
“We are always willing to assist with official letters so that the people can take the approach of DNA,” he said.
In September, Laurence Kapule Ndaoya (42) from Eenhana killed his girlfriend allegedly over DNA results that indicated he was not the father of the children he was raising.
Oukwanyama spokesperson Andrew Naikaku said DNA testing is a conflicting matter.
He said on the one hand it is important for one to know the paternity of a child but it may lead to murders should the man find out he did not father the child or children.
Naikaku emphasised that women are the main reasons behind men seeking DNA testing, citing they taunt their husbands and boyfriends with paternity matters.
“Women at shebeens tell people who is the real father of their children, while some tell their friends. Some women called their husbands cowards for not being able to make babies. Therefore, all these cause men to take children’s DNA because they are not happy,” said Naikaku.
He said women must learn to keep secrets so that men would not go for DNA testing.
“Nothing hurts a man more than being told by a woman that the child does not belong to him. It is very painful,” he said.
Naikaku said years ago, men never had issues raising children who were not biologically theirs.
“We used to accept it because it was normal in our culture. We did not take knives to kill our wives. We did not divorce because our wives had a child with a different man,” he said.
The spokesperson urged men to respect their culture and learn to accept things and move forward in their lives without killing women and children.
“Killing is not the solution. If your wife or a girlfriend cheated on you, what is important is to make a change but not to kill someone.”
He also advised men to stop listening to paternity rumours at shebeens.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Oukwambi Traditional Authority, Ndilimani Herman Iipumbu has called on the government to implement more awareness campaigns to educate and share information on DNA testing.
“Many people do not understand how DNA testing operates. Some women are suffering with children without fathers because they do not know where to get help,” he said.
Iipumbu said it is very important for couples to be tested first before they get married whether they are fertile or not.
“If the man is infertile, it will force the wife to go out to get a man who is fertile and later after falling pregnant, she will accuse her husband of impregnating her,” said Iipumbu.
He said after the child has grown up; the wife will start telling people that her husband is not the father of the child.
Therefore, this will force the husband to immediately consider DNA testing.
Also speaking to New Era, acting chief of Uukolonkadhi, Malakia Shoombe advised men to stop supporting children if they are unsure of their paternity.
“If a man hears something about his wife sleeping with different men, they should immediately take a DNA test. They must not support the child or allow the child to be registered to their name,” said Shoombe.
-fhamalwa@nepc.com.na