Opinion / Columnist
Our Zimbabwe Government should reward people like these
26 Nov 2016 at 17:23hrs | Views
It is disheartening to note with great sadness that in our country we have individuals who have perfomed acts of bravery but they potential has been left unnoticed.The only recognition they got was that of becoming a one day celebrity in their communities.In a typical hollywood script here is an unfortunate act of bravery.
Samson Mutombeni of Chegwite village in Chiredzi warded off the attack from the hungry and wounded lion in a bush near the Save Valley Conservancies last week.
He was walking along a path when the animal emerged from the bush and attacked him. According to Mutombeni, who is battling for his life at Mashoko Hospital after sustaining injuries all over his body, the animal brought him down during the attack.
In an effort to save his life Mutombeni grabbed the lion by the throat and manage to pin it down. He fought with the animal for almost half an hour before it ran away. "I was walking home around 7 pm when the lion attacked me," he said.
"I panicked at first but then I fought for my life with my bare hands. I grabbed its throat and fought with it for more than 30 minutes before it ran away," he said.
Police in Masvingo confirmed the incident adding the officials from the department of Parks and wildlife were hunting for the dangerous animal.
Another act of bravery that is supposed to be recognised is that one of Ms Primrose Moyo who saved Emmanuel Ndou on Thursday 9 July2015 The incident has got villagers from Fumukwe Village, about 80 kilometres from Gwanda town, amazed at 28-year-old Ms Moyo's bravery and how the todddler did not suffer from shock after being submerged in water for close to a minute.
In an interview with Sunday News on Thursday, Ms Moyo said if it was not for her impulsive decision to jump after her son, he would have surely drowned.
"Up to now I am also shocked how I did that. I remember we were chatting with my pastor, a few metres from the well while Emmanuel was playing just close by. I think he started walking backwards and then he tripped and fell head-long into the well.
"For a few seconds I just froze not sure what I could do then I just stepped over the well and jumped straight in, feet first. I didn't even think of what would happen if I landed on my son's head or what was down there, I just jumped in and fortunately I didn't land on him," said Ms Moyo.
She said once in the water, she started searching for the toddler and when she found him, he did not cough even once but just opened his eyes and started complaining that he was feeling cold.
"It is so surprising that even when I hit him on his back he did not even cough out any water. He just opened his eyes, which is when I began to cry, realising what could have happened if I had delayed for a few more minutes.
"Everyone is shocked how I did this but it was all to save my son. Even the men who came with a ladder to help us out were stunned because that well is really deep. Surprisingly, because I am scared of heights I was always scared to look down that well. Even today, I can barely look down it without getting dizzy," said Ms Moyo . It is only the mother who suffered a sprained ankle.
"I remember I only ran for help when she had secured her son but I was still unsure whether he was alive. However, it shows the distance a mother can travel just to save her child. Even the men who came when I ran for help revealed that they could have never had gathered the courage to jump into the narrow well but would have first looked for a ladder and by then the child would have surely died," said Pastor Ncube.
Fumukwe village head, Mr Ndodana Sibanda said when they first heard the calls for help they thought it unlikely that the toddler would survive.
"This is a brave lady. We all thank the Lord for her quick thinking because we could today be talking of a different scenario," said Sibanda.
For a job well done particularly in face of grave danger, for exihibiting great tact and intelligence, these two deserve to be awarded with a medal called the Bronze Cross of Zimbabwe.
Type-gallantry decoration
Eligibility - military and civilian personnel Awarded for acts of conspicuous bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Samson Mutombeni of Chegwite village in Chiredzi warded off the attack from the hungry and wounded lion in a bush near the Save Valley Conservancies last week.
He was walking along a path when the animal emerged from the bush and attacked him. According to Mutombeni, who is battling for his life at Mashoko Hospital after sustaining injuries all over his body, the animal brought him down during the attack.
In an effort to save his life Mutombeni grabbed the lion by the throat and manage to pin it down. He fought with the animal for almost half an hour before it ran away. "I was walking home around 7 pm when the lion attacked me," he said.
"I panicked at first but then I fought for my life with my bare hands. I grabbed its throat and fought with it for more than 30 minutes before it ran away," he said.
Police in Masvingo confirmed the incident adding the officials from the department of Parks and wildlife were hunting for the dangerous animal.
Another act of bravery that is supposed to be recognised is that one of Ms Primrose Moyo who saved Emmanuel Ndou on Thursday 9 July2015 The incident has got villagers from Fumukwe Village, about 80 kilometres from Gwanda town, amazed at 28-year-old Ms Moyo's bravery and how the todddler did not suffer from shock after being submerged in water for close to a minute.
In an interview with Sunday News on Thursday, Ms Moyo said if it was not for her impulsive decision to jump after her son, he would have surely drowned.
"Up to now I am also shocked how I did that. I remember we were chatting with my pastor, a few metres from the well while Emmanuel was playing just close by. I think he started walking backwards and then he tripped and fell head-long into the well.
She said once in the water, she started searching for the toddler and when she found him, he did not cough even once but just opened his eyes and started complaining that he was feeling cold.
"It is so surprising that even when I hit him on his back he did not even cough out any water. He just opened his eyes, which is when I began to cry, realising what could have happened if I had delayed for a few more minutes.
"Everyone is shocked how I did this but it was all to save my son. Even the men who came with a ladder to help us out were stunned because that well is really deep. Surprisingly, because I am scared of heights I was always scared to look down that well. Even today, I can barely look down it without getting dizzy," said Ms Moyo . It is only the mother who suffered a sprained ankle.
"I remember I only ran for help when she had secured her son but I was still unsure whether he was alive. However, it shows the distance a mother can travel just to save her child. Even the men who came when I ran for help revealed that they could have never had gathered the courage to jump into the narrow well but would have first looked for a ladder and by then the child would have surely died," said Pastor Ncube.
Fumukwe village head, Mr Ndodana Sibanda said when they first heard the calls for help they thought it unlikely that the toddler would survive.
"This is a brave lady. We all thank the Lord for her quick thinking because we could today be talking of a different scenario," said Sibanda.
For a job well done particularly in face of grave danger, for exihibiting great tact and intelligence, these two deserve to be awarded with a medal called the Bronze Cross of Zimbabwe.
Type-gallantry decoration
Eligibility - military and civilian personnel Awarded for acts of conspicuous bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Source - Charlie Vitalis Chaminuka
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
