DNA results released on Saturday 15th, June 2019 confirmed that Sharon Mathius and Melon Lutenyo are identical twins born to their biological mother Rosemary Khaveleli from Kakamega county.
Melvis, the third sister was however ruled out to be the biological sister of the two twins from the DNA profile analysis done by Lancet Kenya.
The three girls, on their reply to DNA tests, said that they had grown up strong sisterhood bonds that supersedes DNA results
Luhya’s and their tradition with twins
In Luhya community, you will be shocked to learn that Twins are more of a curse than a blessing.
Here are some of the rituals administered to twins or babies born more than one at the same time.
Curse not blessing
Luhyas understanding of twin babies or multiple babies at birth is more than a curse than it is for a blessings, this is just an old traditional belief which still exist in modern Luhyaland
Killing twins
If a woman’s first conception are twins, triplets or even more kids , serious measures are supposed to be taken into account .
In old Luhya land, the babies would be killed with immediate effect and will never see the light.
This is because, Luhya’s believe that the first pregnancy should be a single birth and not a multiple, because the mother’s uterus is still fresh with no experience to host several babies
Giving birth to more than two babies in one pregnancy is a pure curse for Luhya’s which means the babies’ survival percentage is likely to go down and would do a ‘favour’ to end their dear lives.
If the parents oppose their death, then they should separate or divorce permanently and share he kids.
If you don’t follow this tradition, the twins will likely bring an evil spirit that may lead to the death of all babies, one of the parents or any other relative of the family
Multiple births
In recent years, there have been huge cases of mothers giving birth to more than two babies in one pregnancy.
Something that has been baffling Kenyans for long on why it is only in Western Kenya largely occupied by Luhyas who seem to have very fertile women.
But the sad thing is the Luhya tradition, which dictates that if a mother gives birth to three or more babies in one pregnancy, all the babies should be killed.
Because they bring an evil spirit to the family, failure to which, the mother and the kids would be cursed forever.
Burial of Twins
If one twin unfortunately dies and leaves the other twin, high caution is observed.
For instance, if they are below 18 years old, the living twin should never take part in the burial ceremony as well as even body viewing.
He or she is send very far where they can live upto 10 years before they come into accepting the departure of their sibling
Double Twins
If a woman gives birth to twins for two different pregnancies, the second twins are also killed.
In modern day Kenya, it is the prayer of every couple to be blessed with twins, while some of couples unable to sire kids spent days in hospitals and prayer altars, while in Luhya land, blessed with fertile women, continue to murder innocent babies who deserve to live like anyone else on the land
It is likely that the Sharon, Melvis and Melon case took some traditional turns and twists which could have contributed to them being switched at birth
