The mystery surrounding two students from Kakamega County who have a striking resemblance will now be a thing of the past following a DNA test.
Lancet Kenya released the results on Saturday after two months of waiting, putting the topic into rest. The girls first hit headlines on April after their story was first revealed to the media.
"Sharon and Melon are IDENTICAL TWINS. DNA results have confirmed. Lancet Kenya conducted the DNA tests and analysis. @citizentvkenya," Citizen TV journalist Francis Gachuri broke the news, Saturday.
According to the DNA, Sharon Matheus, who had been living in Nairobi with Angeline Omina and Wilson Lutah, is a blood sister to Melon Lutenyo, whose mother is Rosemary Onyango, a statement from Dr Ahmed Kalebi confirmed.
“Rosemary Onyango cannot be excluded as the biological mother of Sharon Mathias and Melon Lutenyo, who have compatible bligatory maternal allelic profile with a 99.99 per cent probability,” read the statement.
The third girl, Melvis Imbaya, who has been brought up as Melon's fraternal twin, is a biological daughter of Ms Omina and Mr Luta, Dr Kalebi said, adding that her samples matched with the two.
“Melvis Imbaya exhibits a compatible obligatory maternal and paternal allelic profile with that of Angeline Omina and Wilson Lutah, respectively, Thus Angeline and Wilson cannot be respectively be excluded as the biological mother and father of Melvis Imbaya with a probability percentage of 99.99 per cent,” the DNA analysis stated.
"From when they found each other, to the attention they got when their story was first told, it has changed them,” Lutah said hours before the results were released.
The three girls, whose story sounds like one of the best episodes from Hollywood, promised to stick together regardless of the DNA test results.
“From the moment we met, we knew we had a connection… we feel like sisters. Even if DNA tests says something different, we will always be sisters,” the twins had retaliated in previous interview.
Mrs Omina had also raised fears that the results may not favour her, arguing that it could be difficult to trace her daughter, 19 years later.
“I keep asking myself what will happen if they do the tests and say all of them are not my babies. Where is mine?” said Angelina amidst sobs when they first went for DNA sampling.
Incidentally, the three girls were born at Kakamega Provincial Hospital, now Kakamega Referral Hospital 19 years ago. The DNA results now confirms that they were switched at birth, perhaps accidentally.
Both Melvis Imbaya and Sharon Matheus were subjected to incubator after birth due to underweight, a move that could have led to confusion in labelling.
It will now be the prerogative of the parents concerned to determine when and how they will switch the two girls. While Melvis is likely to go to Nairobi, Sharon will now connect with her family upcountry in Likuyani.