“I thought my wife was faithful” – Ugandan diplomat speaks out after DNA reveals two of his five children aren’t his

Ugandan diplomat and businessman, Chris Rugari, has spoken publicly for the first time following the tragic death of his two-year-old son, Nganwa Rugari, and the shocking revelation that two of his three eldest children are not biologically his.

Rugari’s estranged wife, Joline Kanoheri, was arrested shortly before their son was scheduled for a DNA test amid the couple’s divorce proceedings.

That test has since confirmed Rugari as the biological father of the deceased toddler.

Kanoheri was detained after claiming that Nganwa had fallen from the first floor of their home in Mutungo, Nakawa Division, Kampala.

However, upon examining the child, investigators found no injuries to support that version of events, prompting police to launch a murder investigation.

In a statement released to the media on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, Mr. Rugari—who currently serves as Zimbabwe’s Consular General to Uganda—confirmed that DNA tests had revealed two of his three eldest children were not his biological offspring. He disclosed that he only learned this in late 2023, and it has since been the root of ongoing family conflict.

He also vowed to pursue justice for the death of his son, describing it as “brutal and cruel.”

Rugari strongly denied allegations made by his estranged wife and her supporters claiming he had forced her to undergo a hysterectomy and permitted her to have children with other men. He dismissed the claims as baseless and “fabricated propaganda.”

“I have refrained from commenting on these matters during this period of mourning,” Rugari said in his statement.

“But the misinformation being circulated, including false claims that I allowed my wife to bear children with other men, is deeply troubling and entirely untrue. Whoever created that narrative needs a sobriety test.”

Providing a detailed timeline, Rugari shared that he married Joline Kanoheri in 2008. Their children were born in 2010, 2013, 2015, 2022, and 2024, respectively. The first three children were born at Kololo Hospital, and he signed all their birth certificates. He actively raised and supported them, enrolling them in schools such as Kisffer Kindergarten in Bugolobi, Gemz Cambridge Butabika, and later online classes in Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. He even moved them to Turkey for specialized education in sports and arts.

“Our fourth child, who recently passed away, was born in German Saudi Hospital, and I signed his birth certificate too. But by the time our fifth child was born, we were already facing serious issues over paternity, and I didn’t sign that birth certificate,” Rugari explained.

He said he had always believed he had a loving and faithful wife. “If I had died before, and gone to heaven, the first thing I would have told God was, ‘Thank You for giving me such a wonderful wife,’” he said.

However, everything changed in September 2023 when he discovered that two of the children he had raised were not biologically his.

He believes the current media narrative is a diversion from the real issue—the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of his son, who reportedly fell but had no visible internal or external injuries.

“I urge the public not to be distracted by lies and false narratives. My main concern now is uncovering the truth about how my son died,” he stated.

“Please allow me space to mourn. A year ago, I had a happy family with four children and a loving wife. Today, I have lost my son, DNA has shown that two kids are not mine, and my wife is behind bars. This is incredibly painful.”

Meanwhile, the Nakawa Grade One Chief Magistrate, Frank Namanya, has remanded Joline Kanoheri Rugari in prison until May 6, 2025.

She is facing murder charges alongside her housemaid, Robinah Nabanja, who is accused of aiding Kanoheri in attempting to evade justice.

During a court appearance on Friday, April 11, Kanoheri insisted on her innocence, saying:

“I didn’t murder my child. I have always been both mother and father to my children. The police lied. God knows I am innocent.”

However, Magistrate Namanya informed both accused that the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear a capital offence and that their case would be transferred to the High Court.

The investigation remains ongoing as Rugari continues to seek justice for his late son.