Dorcus did not like sharing, and I did not like losing fights
Siblings. Anna Kagwala and Dorcus Mwebaza Elionai. Courtesy photos
What you need to know:
- We got into a fight and Dorcus lost. She cried all day until our mother returned from work. I will let you guess what happened to me after.
- No, she always fought my bullies. To date when we meet in the taxi park and there are some goons pulling at me, she comes to my rescue. I still get surprised at the level of energy and authority she commands. She is gem of a sister.
SIBLING LOVE. Anna Kagwala is a teacher and runs a non-profit organisation that campaigns to remodel the education system around the global climate emergency crisis through fun and engaging lessons and activities. Dorcus Mwebaza Elionai is an executive administrator at Barefoot Law.
Anna
How would you describe Dorcus?
It is almost impossible to describe everything about a sibling because there is so much to say and less to describe them. Dorcus is intelligent, funny and chatty.
What was her nickname?
Dee Dee. A character from Dexter’s Laboratory, a famous American animated television series we used to watch in the 1990s.
What is she most scared of?
Cockroaches.
What is the craziest thing she did as a child?
We got into a fight and Dorcus lost. She cried all day until our mother returned from work. I will let you guess what happened to me after.
What is the craziest thing you did together?
We used red berries as lipstick and corn strings for hair. We were creative and imaginative.
Were you always friends?
Yes, like twins I should say. If you called one of us, the other definitely tagged along.
How often did you fight?
I think every day mainly over petty girly things such as clothes and toys. Dorcus did not like sharing, and I did not like losing fights.
The most outstanding fight was…?
One of us lost a doll but because we had identical play items it was hard to figure out whose was lost and whose was not.
Did you ever team up to fight anybody?
Hahaha no, because I would probably do the fighting. I am confrontational during fights and Dorcus is the opposite (she is passive).
How often do you meet?
We have not seen each other since the lockdown started. But before that, we would meet once or twice a week.
Dorcus
How would you describe your sister Anna?
She is kind, a go-getter and a people person. She is fashionable and trendy.
What nickname did you have for her?
Kwags which is a short form for Kwagala.
What is she most scared of?
Flying cockroaches. Actually, I do not know why. Growing up, cockroaches were just our common enemy. Whenever we would see one, we would yell for our brothers to come rescue us. I guess it stuck since none of us never mustered the courage to kill them.
What is the craziest thing Anna did as a child?
She was so tiny that she could pass through the bars of the windows of our house. There is a time our older brothers lost the keys to the store and got her to squeeze through the window to get what they needed.
What is the craziest thing you did together?
We went out walking more than three kilometres when I was six and she was seven years old to invite our best friend to our birthday party. Our birthdays are two weeks apart, May 28 and June11.
Our parents always threw us one simple and warm birthday party. We were born in relatively safe times, so they allowed us a certain degree of freedom out of the confines of home.
Were you always friends?
Yes, we were. We were raised like twins, so we shared everything from clothes to ‘plastic babies’ (dolls) and school friends since we were always in the same class.
How often did you fight?
Hahaha...we fought every day. If it were not because one of us was a sore loser, it was something to do with mixing up our shoes or homework books. Sadly, we always forgot about our mother’s hard Umoja sandal in the corner of the house.
The most outstanding fight was...
Tea time! As toddlers, our father used to pour our tea in one big bowl for it to cool.
I always kept record of which cup went first into the bowl, so when he was pouring the tea back into our cups I cried arguing that my cup of tea was at the bottom of the bowl. Funny, right?
Did you ever team up to fight someone?
No, she always fought my bullies. To date when we meet in the taxi park and there are some goons pulling at me, she comes to my rescue. I still get surprised at the level of energy and authority she commands. She is gem of a sister.
How often do you meet?
Because of the lockdown this has been hard but before we used to meet at least twice a week. Fortunately, Anna is a phone call away as well.
At a glance...
Dorcus
Her nickname is Dee Dee a character from Dexter’s Laboratory, a famous American animated TV series. Anna, sibling
Anna
She fights anyone who tries to bully her sister even when they are in the taxi park. Dorcus says
