Uganda Parliament Urged to Fast-Track Forensic Bill

Officials from the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL) are urging the Ugandan Parliament to expedite the processing of the Forensic and Scientific Analytical Service Bill, 2025. The call was made during a meeting with the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, as issues raised by the Auditor General for Financial Year 2024/2025 were discussed.

Supporting Legal Use of Forensic Data

According to Tarsisius Byamugisha, Commissioner of Criminalistics and Laboratory Services, the Bill aims to support the legal use of forensic data as evidence in investigations at a national level. Currently, delays in prosecution cases are often linked to the arrest of numerous suspects when police collect exhibits from crime scenes.

“With the database, instead of Police arresting 50 people over the same crime, they can search the crime scene and give us the exhibits. We will test them and search through the database to point out the actual people who were at the scene. That is why we are pushing this Bill,” Byamugisha stated.

Addressing Challenges in Forensic Services

The proposed legislation too seeks to address the growing number of private forensic data generation services. Hon. Joseph Ssewungu (NUP, Kalungu West County) highlighted the challenges families face with unregulated DNA testing, citing instances of individuals seeking DNA tests for their children and even obtaining samples post-mortem. He emphasized the Bill’s importance in regulating how evidence is produced, used, and stored.

National Database Development

DGAL has already begun developing in-house databases for DNA and ballistics, used for quality control purposes. Kepher Kuchana Kateu, Chief Chemist at DGAL, explained that a study on ‘allele frequency database for 21 autosomal short tandem repeats in the Ugandan population’ has been completed and is contributing to the national database. This study encompassed genetic profiles from across Uganda’s regions – east, west, south, and central – replacing reliance on databases generated from other populations.

Beyond DNA and ballistics, the Laboratory is also creating databases in toxicology (for poisons) and pesticide residue analysis, aiding in the resolution of various crimes.

Parliamentary Scrutiny and Funding

Hon. Hope Nakazibwe (NUP, Mubende District Woman Representative) inquired about the progress of the national database, referencing parliamentary approval of Shs178.66 billion in funding. Officials were asked to provide an update on the allocation and utilization of these funds.

Bill’s Broader Impact

The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Service Bill, 2025, builds upon the Forensic Evidence Bill 2024, which designated the Directorate of the Government Analytical Laboratories as the national referral forensics and analytical laboratory and its regulator [Monitor]. The Bill aims to formally establish the Government Analytical Laboratory as the national referral center for forensic services [Parliament Watch].