Kenyan twins grace the twins' festival

All is set for the sixth edition of the fun filled Kampala twins' festival. Hundreds of twins and their parents are already at Namboole.

Kenyan twins; Roslyn Wanjiru Njuguna and Betty Mwihaki Njuguna flew in on Saturday evening from Nairobi to grace Vision Group's annual event.

Entrance is sh10,000 per head.

The 25-year-olds are the first borns in a family with three sets of twins; all girls. They are born to Tabitha Wanjiku and Samuel Njuguna who are primary school teachers in Nairobi. (Read their family's story in Sunday Vision)

Currently, Wanjiru is an Events planner at Express Communications Ltd and a volunteer with Heroes for change programme, while Mwihaki is a nurse working with Kenya Red cross and Nairobi Women's Hospital.

 

"We are super excited for such an opportunity to meet other twins and be part of the memorable event," Mwihaki says.

She is quick to add that in Kenya identical twins are celebrated more than their counterparts, which is not fair.

"Being a fraternal twin, I believe we should also be celebrated just like the identical twins. This festival addresses this injustice so well and I am happy to meet all kinds of twins and other multiple births; young, old, male, female, identical and fraternal," she yearns.

Meanwhile, the pair has been flown in courtesy of Let's go Travel who offered their tickets. They are spending two nights at the executive suite at Signature suites & Hotel Bweyogerere approximately 100meters from the venue in Namboole.

Both Let's go Travel and Signature suites & Hotel have partnered with Vision group to enable the guest twins enjoy every bit of the event.

Phillip Semaganda, the managing director Signature suites & Hotel, hopes for the best festival ever.

"We chose to be part of Vision Group's kind gesture towards the twins because we also respect family and people of different kinds. Twins are a blessing and special. We are happy to celebrate them," he notes.

Semaganda highlights what Mwihaki and Wanjiru are going to enjoy at the hotel.

On the other hand, Marinka Sanc-George, Director Lets go Travel says they are privileged to be part of the twins' festival.

"We have a rich experience of 22 years in the travel business. We enjoy to see people have a good time which is why we offered to fly in the guest twins," she reveals.

 
We are taking the festival to Kenya
The Kenyan pair look out to have fun, network, experience a different culture, learn and make lasting friendships. They both enjoy travelling, swimming and hiking.

In Kenya, Wanjiku says, they have no twins' festival. They only mark World Twins Day but not at a national level.

In commemoration of the day, over the years, The Identical Family Association (IFA) visits mothers who give birth to twins at Kenyatta National Hospital.

IFA is an association created by twins with an objective of bringing together identical twins.

"With the knowledge and experience gained through attending Kampala twins festival, we will partner with IFA to champion and plan for such an event in Kenya," Wanjiku foresees adding that, "Apart from giving us an opportunity to continue bonding, the trip will be an eye opener. It will give us a different world view in regard to twins."

 Additionally, through their experience at the festival, Wanjiku upholds that they will be better placed to take part and champion for a shift in perspective, policies and cultural views when it comes to issues affecting twins and multiple births.

On what it means being born a twin, she stresses that It feels special. You are always assured of a lifetime friend.

"Of course there are days we get on each other's nerves but we love each other to bits. Each set of twins has a unique and different bond.  I am too close to the first born twin in the second set. My twin sister and the second born twin in the second set are also close. Then our last born is uniquely bonded to each one of us. It's interconnected," Wanjiku expounds.

Festival is packed with activities
Vision Group's Penlope Nankunda points at the numerous activities for all age groups including bouncy castles, driving toy cars, legged race, sack race, and dodge ball among others. There will also be lots of entertainment from popular artistes such as Pastor Wilson Bugembe among others.

"The festival is open to the public; for all multiples, their families, friends and well-wishers at an entrance fee of sh10,000 only. Gates will be open as early as 8:30am so come and have fun," she clarifies.

The festival is sponsored by the Parliament of Uganda, PostBank and Pepsi. Other partners this year include Uganda Police, Mandela National Stadium Namboole, Let's Go Travel, Uganda, Uhuru Restaurants, Signature Hotel, Bweyogerere, Posh Junction, Pearl Adventures and Lexi and Simon play.