Distance can't tear their bond

TWINS

These fraternal twins say their bond is stronger than a rock. Emanuel Wasswa Kivumbi, a mechanical engineer, and Berna Nakato Kivumbi, a civil engineer in Kampala, always keep in touch.

"Wasswa lives in Boston, U.S.A, where he has been for 20 years," says Nakato.

In spite of that, Nakato says that they are always in touch. She says that sometimes Wasswa can have a problem and she will instinctively reach out to him.

That is when she learns that he has been sick and Wasswa also shares that telepathic communication.

Nakato says she has enjoyed all the benefits of having an elder sibling take care of her.

"If I have any problem, I can count on Wasswa any time. Whatever, I want unless I have not let him know about it; he will do it for me," she says.

Nakato gives an example of when she was laid off at the then Kampala City Council. Since she had done a short course in catering, when her brother got to know, he sent her an entire set of catering equipment for her business.

On another occasion, he sent her a container of toys to start a business.

Even on their birthdays, Wasswa cannot fail to send Nakato a gift. Nakato intimates they have just made 44 and as usual, Wasswa gave her some money to buy what she wanted most.

Having a twin bond is amazing; however, Nakato says she enjoyed it more when she was younger at home in Masaka.

"I enjoyed being a twin so much before my dad died," she says. "He could give my other siblings money to buy for themselves gifts.

However, when it got to Wasswa and I, dad could say to mom to take the twins to buy whatever they need.

So, Wasswa and I, we would go to town and choose our best gifts and however expensive they were, we got them. "

Although in primary and O-level the twins studied in different schools, for A-Level, Wasswa and Nakato attended Caltec Academy, studying Physics, Economics and Mathematics.

Nakato says at school Wasswa never let her slacken in her academics and always kept a strict eye on her. 

"No boys would crush on me. He always protected me," she remembers. 

"If we had any party, he would not allow me to stay till late. He would say, ‘Let me just take you back to the hostel. You cannot be out at this time.'"

Sometimes, he would totally refuse Nakato to go for any parties outside school and tell her to focus on her books.

Nakato says Wasswa would follow up on her by checking if she was in the hostel.

During the holidays, every sibling had a turn to cook, and the twins were not exempted. Wasswa would be reluctant sometimes to perform some of chores like cooking and washing. He would then call Nakato to help him.

"Nakato, mother produced us on the same day; don't leave me to work alone, come and help me, Wasswa used to say," recalled Nakato, who helped her twin with his chores.

Although in Nakato's home, all the 15 siblings love and always reach out to each other without discrimination, she said she cannot deny the special bond she has with Wasswa.

"Sometimes, if we would have misunderstandings at home, Wasswa would always take my side, and even I would take his side," she said, adding that Wasswa is also a Godfather to one of her sons.

In spite of the distance, the twins keep in touch through social media. During the times of lockdown, they both worried about each other.

"I thought he was in more trouble because in U.S.A, the rate at which people die of Corona virus was high. But he was very much concerned that we Ugandans were in deeper danger since our healthy system was not good. Ultimately, we are all fine," she said.

Wasswa is a father of three and Nakato is a mother of five.

Nakato says she would have loved to have twins, but she cannot give birth any more.