Rare birthday for Leap Year ‘babies’

It may seem routine to have a birthday each year but there are people who have proper birthdays only after four years.

They are called “leapers” and sometimes “leaplings” because they were born on February 29 — a date that appears in the calendar only once every four years.

Some mathematicians say the chance of a person being born on a leap day is one in 1,461.

The Sunday Nation caught up with five of such individuals, most of whom vowed to make Monday a special day.

Ms Beatrice Washuka, Ms Jane Muthoni, Mr Boniface Ong’era Mogere, Mr Calvin Magembe and Mr Peter Mwaura are among Kenyan “leapers” who were born on a day that was factored into the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century to ensure the dates are in sync with the earth’s rotation around the sun, which does not take an exact time each year.

The last time the five celebrated a proper birthday was a day before the burial of former Environment minister John Michuki took place.

Mr Michuki was buried on February 28, 2012.

Before the 2012 birthday, the previous one was on a Friday in 2008 when the Daily Nation headline read: “Peace deal at last”. This was a day after Mr Mwai Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga agreed to share power to end the post-election violence.

Ms Washuka and Ms Muthoni are twins and they plan to have a joint party at their family home in Eldoret.

Ms Washuka is a university student in Nairobi while her sister operates from Eldoret.

“I have many plans but I think I’ll settle for going to Eldoret. My twin sister wants me to go to Eldoret. She wants us to celebrate together because we have celebrated previous birthdays separately,” Ms Washuka said.

LEAP YEAR JOKES
Mr Ong’era, who is awaiting graduation from Moi University later this year, will be turning 24 on Monday.

“The thing with being born on February 29 is that in most years, your birthday ends before it begins. Before you start your birthday, it’s over. That one second of transition between February 28 and March 1, that’s actually your birthday,” he said, laughing.

Mr Magembe, a manager at a matatu Sacco in Kisii, will be marking his 28th year on Monday.

“There are friends who have been sending me messages since Tuesday reminding me about the Monday birthday. They want us to have fun and joke a bit because it is a rare day,” he told the Sunday Nation.

Mr Mwaura is an accountant in Nairobi and Monday will be his 36th birthday. “I’m planning just to have it cool in the house with my family in the evening, unless maybe there is a surprise birthday party from wife,” said the father of two. “I will be turning nine,” he joked.

Speaking of jokes, social media is awash with punch lines about this special group.

One of the jokes was posted by Facebook user Dagitari Kayai in a 2012 update, as he explained the advantage of having such an irregular birthday: “This  helps to protect your dental formula from the ills of cake icings, sweets and biscuits.”

Jose Baraka wrote on Facebook in 2009: “These guys who were born on February 29, does it mean you cease to be a youth before your 10th birthday?”

Eddy Papaa wrote in 2015: “People born on February 29 celebrate their birthday after every four years ... I’m looking for such a girlfriend.”

The “leapers” said they have heard a couple of those jokes too but have grown to get used to them.

“One time, a friend told me during a group discussion, ‘Can you shut up! Don’t you see we are trying to have a conversation with my agemates here?’”

Mr Masese said, adding that some people say he is just five years old. Mr Masese said he has a name: “Those people who have no birthday.”

HISTORY
Mr Mwaura said what his friends usually tell him is: “This year, no birthday gifts, no birthday wishes for you until it comes.”

To ensure there are no legal loopholes regarding February 29 babies, some countries have stated when a person transitions to another year.

According to the UK’s regulations, a 17-year-old leaper reaches the age of majority on March 1 during a non-leap year while in New Zealand, the law recognises February 28 as the transition date for a person seeking a driving licence.

Among the prominent people born on February 29 is American rapper Jeffrey Atkins alias Ja Rule.

A 2012 article by the BBC explains why February has a maximum of 29 days, as explained by Ian Stewart, an emeritus professor of mathematics at Warwick University.

The article says: “February suffered from the ego of Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus, says Stewart. Under Julius Caesar, February had 30 days, but when Caesar Augustus was emperor he was peeved that his month — August — had only 29 days, whereas the month named after his predecessor Julius — July — had 31. ‘He pinched a couple of days for August to make it the same as July. And it was poor old February that lost out,’ says Prof Stewart.”