Tanzanian conjoined twins die at the age of 21

June 5, 2018 12:29 AM

The news of their death has been a cause for mourning throughout Tanzania, as many took to social media to express their shock over the deaths.

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The young women were born joined together from the navel downwards and shared organs like their liver and lungs, but had two hearts and separate heads and arms.

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Instablog9ja reports that the twins were admitted to the hospital in December 2017 due to heart disease related issues but died on Saturday, June 2, 2018.

Thousands of condolence messages were also sent to family and friends of the deceased.

Tanzanian President, John Magufuli tweeted that he was "saddened" by their deaths, revealing that Consolata and Maria had "dreamed of serving the nation".

During an interview with BBC in 2017, the pair had said disclosed their dreams of becoming teachers upon the completion of their University education.

May their souls rest in peace.

Conjoined twins set to graduate from high school

The twins, who refused to be separated through an operation has become a great inspiration for many as they are set to graduate from a secondary school.

The then 19-year-old girls, Maria and Consolata Mwakikuti, according to a BBC reporter, Leonard Mubali, had vehemently refused to be separated, rather decided to push ahead with their lives against all odds to tell everyone that no matter the situation they find themselves, they can still achieve their dreams.

The twin who spoke to Mubali said despite their birth defect, they can be the best in their education.

Reporting the story of the girls, Mubali said have inspired a lot of people with their zest for life and their quest to succeed despite their handicap.

Having lost both parents at a tender age - their mother died after being delivered of the twins- the twins who were adopted by a catholic church's charity organization, forged ahead and are now set to graduate from secondary school.

Mubali who joined Maria and Consolata during one of their class sessions at their school in Iringa Udzungwa, South-West Tanzania, narrated that the girls were very active in class and got along very well with their classmates.

Their headmaster, Edward Fue, said he had been shocked when he first met the girls and was at a loss as to how to help them, as the school didn't have the facilities to cater for them then.

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A year later, the local government added a special room to the school where the girls get to rest when they need to and also hired a driver to take them to and from home.

According to Mubali, Maria and Consolata have rejected any attempt to surgically separate them and have vowed to forge ahead with their lives and pursue a joint career.