We Africans have our way of doing things

The thunderous weather, intensified by blinding lightning, instils fear in many of us. Folklore has it that during such storms, bad debtors and adulterers often tremble to the core, fearing that those they've wronged might resort to unorthodox methods of "demanding payment" or settling old scores. I wonder what they do in Equatorial Guinea, where people seem to live with fewer grudges and a more saintly outlook.

Recently in Zimbabwe, African bees have been recruited as unlikely debt collectors - with surprisingly effective results. Even nocturnal "affirmative shoppers" (thieves) haven't been spared. There are accounts of burglars returning stolen goods after receiving unexpected visits from swarms of angry, buzzing bees. Social media recently buzzed with videos of a flat-screen TV thief returning the stolen item to its rightful owner, all while covered in a swarm of relentless bees. The incident, reported in Damofalls, resembled a scene straight out of an "inspection-in-loco" by a unique form of "police."

Zimbabwe is also notorious for its frequent lightning strikes, especially at the beginning and end of the rainy season. Experts advise staying indoors when thunderstorms hit and avoiding being the tallest object outdoors. As they say, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

Thomas Murisa  
Chinehasha