Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE is sitting on a ticking time bomb and the fuse is already lit.
The explosive Constitutional Court battle sparked by a Bulawayo man (see story on Page 6 … https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/dna-first-jail-later/) is not just about one case. It is about thousands of silent victims, men pouring their hearts, money and years into children they later discover are not theirs.
In this day and age of advanced science, there is absolutely no excuse for guesswork when it comes to paternity. DNA does not lie. People do. So why are we still playing emotional Russian roulette with men’s lives?
The case now headed to the Constitutional Court raises a chilling question. Can a man be jailed for failing to pay maintenance for a child that has not been proven to be his?
If the answer is yes, then the law is not just flawed. It is dangerous.
We are talking about men being threatened with prison, losing jobs, dignity and freedom, all based on claims that can be scientifically verified in days.
That is not justice. That is punishment before proof.
Behind every maintenance order is not just money. It is sacrifice. It is a man waking up early, working long hours, skipping meals, and investing emotionally in a child he believes carries his blood.
He bonds. He loves. He sacrifices.
Then one day, boom!
DNA results drop like a bombshell. Zero percent. Not the father. What happens then? The law goes quiet. The damage remains loud.
The man is left broken, betrayed and financially drained. Years of school fees, food, clothes and love poured into a lie. Some never recover. Some spiral into depression. Others lose trust in relationships completely.
And what about the child?
That child grows up thinking one man is their father, only for the truth to explode later in life. Identity shattered. Family broken. Emotional scars that last forever.
This is not just a men’s issue. It is a national crisis affecting families, mental health and social stability.
The statistics alone are terrifying. Reports showing shockingly high rates of negative DNA results should be a wake-up call. This is not rare. It is happening every day.
Enough is enough.
The solution is simple and long overdue. DNA tests must be made mandatory at birth.
Not as punishment. Not as suspicion. But as protection for everyone involved. Protect the man from fraud. Protect the child from identity confusion. Protect the mother from future disputes.
Let the truth be known from day one.
If the Constitutional Court rules in favour of mandatory proof before enforcement, it could reshape Zimbabwe’s legal system forever. Courts would be forced to demand scientific evidence before issuing maintenance orders or threatening imprisonment.
That would restore fairness.
That would restore dignity.
Because no man should ever face jail based on uncertainty.
No child should grow up living a lie. And no society should allow emotions to override evidence in matters this serious.
The message is clear.
In 2026, love may be blind, but the law must not be.
DNA first. Everything else after.
Bongani Ndlovu
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi