The director of the Government Analytical Laboratory, Kepher Kuchana, revealed on Tuesday that the government generated half a billion shillings from DNA testing during a recent surge in demand for these services.
He made the revelation while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs, chaired by Nyabushozi County MP Wilson Kajwengye, to defend the Forensic Evidence Bill 2024.
When questioned by MPs about the generation of non-tax revenue by his entity, Kuchana confirmed that they indeed earn income from services provided to both government agencies and private citizens.
He cited DNA testing as an example, disclosing that over half a billion shillings was generated within a three-month period.
“We had a spike in the requests for DNA. We earned over half a billion in a space of only three months,” he said.
He attributed this significant increase primarily to the back-to-school season when DNA tests are frequently conducted for various reasons.
