Widow Robinah Bisirikirwa opens up on Paul Kafeero infertility, beef with Charles Ssenkubuge, Full Figure

Hours  after DNA tests confirmed that only four of the 25 people tested were the biological children of the late Kadongo Kamu legend Paul Kafeero, his widow Robinah Namatovu Bisirikirwa has broken her silence.

She opened up about years of family disputes, allegations of infertility and her strained relationship with some of the people involved in the saga.

The Government Analytical Laboratory and the Uganda Police Forensic Services Laboratory announced on Wednesday that only Thomas Kafeero, Simon Peter Kafeero, Benedicto Kafeero and Elizabeth Nagawa were biologically related to the late singer.

The results settled a long-running paternity dispute that had divided Kafeero's family for years.

Bisirikirwa was one of the few people who consistently insisted that Thomas Kafeero, popularly known as Schwarzenegger, was Paul Kafeero's biological son despite criticism from sections of the family.

Thomas, who was brought home by Kafeero as a baby and raised by Bisirikirwa, had become one of the most controversial figures in the dispute.

Speaking to Bukedde after the results were released, Bisirikirwa said she stayed away from the announcement in Naguru because she feared the outcome could be manipulated.

"I am so happy. When the results were being read, I switched off my phone. I did not want to speak with anyone because at some point I started fearing for my life because so many people were up against my son Thomas, whom I love. He’s the first child that Paul brought to me,” she said.

"People have constantly attacked him. I was concerned that people may bribe the labs to falsify the results. I even called Minister Balaam Barugahara and he assured me that these are government labs and the results cannot be tampered with."

She said she had even been invited to witness the announcement but declined.

"I had been asked to attend the results revealing event but I told them I was going to hide under the bed out of fear, because of Thomas."

After learning the outcome, Bisirikirwa reunited with longtime friends Jose Chameleone and Ragga Dee to celebrate before speaking publicly about the results.

In the interview, Bisirikirwa spoke out about the incessant attacks from prominent names such as presidential adviser Jennifer Nakangubi, popularly known as Full Figure.

"People have been insulting me endlessly; people like Full Figure. One time I called her and asked why she was abusing me and she said she was instructed by her colleague Charles Ssenkubuge. I have strained to figure out what it is that Ssenkubuge has against me. I have no problem with him."

Bisirikirwa said  her relationship with Ssenkubuge deteriorated after Kafeero's burial.

"During the funeral of Kafeero, he found one of the children (Martin, who was also found not to be among the biological children) who was staying at the home. He decided to take him and raise him. From then he took me as his enemy."

Claims about Kafeero's fertility

Bisirikirwa also repeated claims she has made in the past that Kafeero later developed fertility problems.

She said medical examinations showed the singer had a low sperm count after years of excessive alcohol consumption.

"I have always mentioned that Paul reached a point and became infertile. Doctors ran tests and confirmed this; he only had those kids when he was younger. He was found to have taken too much alcohol and ended up with low sperm count. The doctors also checked me and found that I was totally fertile.

"We tried so hard even with the low sperm count, to get a child; I took so many medications, we tried everything but I still couldn’t give me a child."

'I stayed with him until the end'

Bisirikirwa said their efforts to have children together ended after Kafeero contracted HIV while she remained HIV negative.

"Then eventually he contracted HIV, and when I got tested I was negative, and we had to stop trying.

"I refused to leave him because I thought if I abandoned him in his sickness, God would be upset with me. I took care of him until the end."

The DNA tests followed a court order authorising the exhumation of Paul Kafeero's remains. Forensic experts collected samples from his bones, jaw, skull and hair before comparing them with samples submitted by 25 people claiming to be his children.