Where dreams align: Wayne and Will's unstoppable bond

From matching outfits to shared passions, Wayne and Will Isanda have always walked in perfect harmony.

The identical twins, whose lives have been a striking portrait of synchrony, have now added another layer to their remarkable bond.

They both scored the same grade in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.

It’s a feat that seems almost too perfect for two individuals who have mirrored each other in so many ways including their choice of activities and friends, their leadership qualities, and now, academic success.

The 18-year-old Isanda twins from Alliance High School scored A of 82 points.

“This achievement means very much to me, it means the world to me, because we worked for it. We put in the effort and I really believe that the fruits of effort are always comfort,” said Wayne.

Wayne and Will scored A in Kiswahili, Physics, and History/Geography, with A- in English and Biology. Their performance in other subjects, including Mathematics, Music, and Chemistry, alternated between A and A-.

According to Wayne, their story of academic achievement is a testament of the power of unity, ambition, and the unspoken connection that only twins can understand.

“Our academic performance has generally been the same. The difference is very minute. We have been pushing each other, worked our best and now we are happy,” said Wayne.

The twins aspire to pursue careers in medicine and technology, with a shared goal of driving change and promoting the adoption of technology in the healthcare sector.

“My initial ambition was to pursue medicine, but I also developed passion for technology. I wanted to study Computer Science, so I began thinking about how I could combine both fields. If possible, I believe I can succeed in both,” Wayne said.

Although Wayne’s hopes to study abroad, Will is comfortable studying in Kenya or overseas.

Besides their academic pursuits, the brothers were active members of the school’s music choir. Wayne played the piano, while his brother served as the drummer.
They also held positions in students’ leadership with Wayne being the school captain in 2024.

However, their success did not come without challenges. The twins lost their mother shortly after they joined Form One on September 12, 2021, at the height of Covid-19.

“That really shook us, especially because we had just started Form One. The pace of the syllabus was overwhelming and could really affect us,” Wayne said.

“But despite everything, we decided to keep pushing forward and give our best. Now, we’re reaping the rewards, and I know wherever she is, she’s proud and happy that we’ve stayed true to our dreams,” he added.

Will termed his mother’s death as tragic and painful. “We even missed the first exam in school because we had to go home. It was sad, but we remained strong and supported each other,” he said.

Although the duo complement each other, Wayne was quick to acknowledge that his brother is his source of inspiration and courage.

“Will pushes me a lot when I feel discouraged and when I feel like there's no hope. I am really glad he's there. “

Wayne said being named the school captain came with numerous demands and responsibilities.

“Balancing both leadership and academics was not an easy balance because there are normally school captain demands and there's also academic demands. So also teachers expect the school captains to be among the top in the school and that is very challenging.”

He resolved to work harder than ever before to stay at the top in academics.

“I had to change my schedule; I woke up earlier to make up for the time I didn’t have, while others did. I had to sacrifice a lot of things, but yes, a lot of sacrifice was necessary.”

After the loss of their mother, the twins formed an unbreakable bond with a friend Geofrey Gikonyo who became more like a brother to them.

The friendship began in the dining hall, shortly after the twins returned to school after their mother’s funeral. It was there that Gikonyo first noticed them sitting alone and befriended them. A bond was formed that would last throughout their four years in school.

“They do everything together. If they're going to wash, they do it together. Even having the two of them, sometimes it can be a bit hectic because it's easy for them to influence one another when a decision has to be made,” said Gikonyo.

Like the duo, Gikonyo also scored A in KCSE.  He served as the captain in charge of academics.

Together, the trio faced every challenge and celebrated every success, earning themselves the nickname ‘The Three Musketeers’, a fitting title for a friendship rooted in loyalty, solidarity, and a shared determination.

He attributed their success to prayer, determination, and discipline. Gikonyo also said that they conducted Sunday school bible study sessions for children at a nearby church, dedicating their time to teaching and serving the community.

For Gikonyo, he set his eyes on the ball to overcome perceived impossibilities.

“When I came here, I was told, you cannot maintain position one in Alliance High School because it’s competitive…And then I was like, I don't think so. So it became position one from Form One to Form Three.”

He draws motivation from Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, whose determination in building rockets and developing the Starship has led him to achieve what many consider impossible.

Gikonyo aspires to see a Kenya driven by technology in healthcare.

Wayne and Will also wrote a book “A Word Before the World” which is basically about “quotes that we generated.”

The school’s principal David Kamau described the twins as focused, disciplined and united.

He said that the brothers leadership style stood out in their four years in the school.

“They stood together with each other and finally were able to score that very impressive grade and we are very happy for them. They went out of their way to make sure that they are doing their best,’ said Kamau.

“One thing I remember about them, they accomplished and they already published a book, which I hope they will be sharing with the media, so that people can see what their insights were,” he added.

The principal noted that the school had 452 candidates. Of the 452, 442 have managed to score the minimum university grade of C+.

Of the 442 candidates, 100 got an A plain, 134 scored A-, and 107 scored a B+.

“Majority of our students were able to get a distinction and we are very proud of that performance and we thank God for it. We were only 10 students, never managed to get a C+,” said the principal.