Seven individuals from Kenya have successfully established paternity at the Family Court in London, identifying British fathers who were stationed at a military base in Kenya. The case is notable for being the first instance in a UK court where DNA databases available to the public were utilized to confirm paternity. Six of the fathers served at the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk), while one was a contractor.
The outcome of this case allows the claimants the opportunity to seek British citizenship. The individuals were represented by British lawyer James Netto, who collaborated with geneticist Denise Syndercombe Court on a project aimed at gathering DNA samples and testimonies in the Nanyuki region of Kenya. During their research, they met numerous individuals believing their fathers had been stationed at Batuk, which is the largest British military base in Africa.
To locate potential family members in the UK, they employed publicly accessible DNA databases. Peter Wambugu, one of the claimants, indicated that he grew up knowing his father was a British soldier, though they never met. He expressed feeling bullied during childhood due to his mixed-race background and shared that his mother had conveyed positive sentiments about his father.
Another claimant, who remains anonymous for legal purposes, recounted having met her father briefly at the age of four and subsequently never seeing him again. She reflected on the challenges of growing up without him and the feelings of abandonment she experienced.
In response to the ruling, Netto remarked on the emotional journey for families involved and noted the existence of others in similar situations near Batuk. Lawyer Andrew Macleod, also involved in the DNA project, hopes this case will motivate the Ministry of Defence to take responsibility for paternity claims related to its servicemen. The Ministry acknowledged that while such claims are personal, the government collaborates with local child support authorities on related issues. The BBC has been documenting this story in an upcoming podcast series.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewnqj27eg4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss