The remains of celebrated Kadongo Kamu musician Prince Paul Kafeero have been exhumed under a court order to facilitate DNA sampling in a long-running paternity and inheritance dispute involving more than 20 individuals claiming to be his biological children.
The exercise, carried out on Monday, marks a major development in a case that has divided sections of the late singer’s family for nearly two decades.
Local Government minister-designate, Balaam Barugahara - who is due to hand over as State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs - said the process was intended to establish scientific clarity and help bring closure to the dispute.
“As I prepare to hand over the Youth and Children Affairs docket soon, I wish to inform the public that the long-standing paternity dispute involving over 20 young people allegedly fathered by my friend, the late Prince Paul Kafeero, will soon be resolved,” Barugahara said.
“Following the successful exhumation of his remains this morning for DNA sampling, a process that has remained unresolved for over 20 years is finally underway,” he added.
He said the exhumation and sample collection were conducted by a team of pathologists led by Assistant Inspector General of Police Dr Moses Byaruhanga in line with a court order and established forensic procedures.
The samples will now be analysed by the Government Analytical Laboratory and the Uganda Police Forensic Laboratory to determine biological relationships among those claiming descent from the musician.
The dispute centres on the administration of Kafeero’s estate and the determination of lawful beneficiaries.
Court records before the Family Division of the High Court show that dozens of claimants petitioned the court against four respondents, including the Administrator General, seeking resolution of inheritance issues linked to the estate.
The matter dates back to shortly after Kafeero’s death in 2007. Family members had entrusted the late Vincent Ssalongo Nanganga Waswa, also known as Umar, with obtaining letters of administration, but he reportedly died before completing the process, leaving key issues unresolved.
Earlier attempts to carry out DNA testing stalled in 2021 after forensic experts advised that family disputes be settled first before such a sensitive exercise could proceed.
More recently, Barugahara renewed calls for DNA testing, arguing that advances in forensic science now make it possible to bring finality to the matter, with government agencies backing the process.
Prince Paul Kafeero, who remains one of Uganda’s most influential Kadongo Kamu musicians, died on May 17, 2007, at the age of 36 due to complications from kidney failure.
The DNA results are expected to play a key role in determining rightful beneficiaries of his estate and bringing closure to years of uncertainty within the family.
