THEY might share a cry, a cradle and a birthday but sometimes, twins don’t share a dad, says Dr Aaron Mujajati.
According to Dr Mujajati, biology has a mischievous streak and loves to keep everyone guessing.
“It’s not fiction, it happens though very rarely,” he said.
He described it as one of biology’s rare curveballs, where timing and nature align in an extraordinary way, referring to a phenomenon known as heteropaternal superfecundation.
He said this happens when a woman releases two eggs during the same cycle and has intimate encounters with different partners within a few days.
Dr Mujajati reported that each egg can then be fertilised by sperm from a different man, creating fraternal twins who share everything except a dad.
He stated that while such cases are exceptionally rare, modern DNA testing has made it easier to uncover them.
“These situations often come to light in paternity tests, not because someone planned for it but because science exposes what assumptions can’t,” he explained.
He added that identical twins are never part of this equation since they result from one egg that splits after fertilisation.
Beyond the science, Dr Mujajati believes the lesson is human and no one must rush to conclusions.
“The truth isn’t in rumours; it’s in results. Biology doesn’t judge, it just reveals,” he said.
And so, in the unpredictable theatre of life, nature sometimes proves it still has a few surprises tucked up its sleeve, even in the delivery room.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba November 10, 2025
