Almost a week since the news of the arrival of DNA testing equipment to determine if the child is yours was distributed on the internet, now the government has spoken about the issue for the first time.
The DNA kits were said to come at an affordable price that most middle-income Kenyans can afford to buy and determine the legitimacy of the children they are raising. Rumors said that the devices will be sold for between 800 and one thousand shillings and do not require any expertise for a person to use them as a person can buy them and do the tests themselves at home.
The Ministry of Health through the Medicines and Poisons Control Board, PPB, wrote on Twitter that the devices are fake and the government has not given any permission for the devices to be sold to the public.
“We have been informed that there are unauthorized home DNA testing devices that are being auctioned on social media in Kenya. Please be aware that PPB has not authorized retailers to sell such devices and thus appeal to the public to be vigilant against retailers selling these devices,” read part of the statement signed by Dr. Siyoi, PPB’s CEO.
However, this news was not well received by some Kenyans on Twitter who criticized the PPB strongly telling them to stay on their drug and poison control line saying that the devices have nothing to do with their duties as PPB.
Others said that PPB is trying to support prostitution while asking them to stop and let Kenyans, especially men, get the equipment and know the legitimacy of the children they raise in marriage.
Earlier this week, businessman Mike Sonko gave a will to Kenyans not to try to go to such facilities in what he said that many marriages will be broken because many men in the country may be raising children that are not theirs and if it comes to light not only marriages will be broken but even the cases of murder will increase rapidly.
