Brave Kariba Man In 15 Minutes Standoff With A Lion Baying to Devour Him
Tachivei Machona Nebiri, a resident of Kariba, had a shocking encounter with a lion while walking along Charara Road one early Sunday morning. Nebiri was walking along the road when he spotted a female lion and her cubs slip into a nearby thicket. He then saw another lion on the right side of the road, which charged towards him with a disheveled mane and a spine-chilling roar.
In a brave move, Nebiri dropped his bag, flipped his slippers off his feet, and ran towards the approaching lion, screaming and raising his hands. The adrenaline rush cut the 100-meter distance between them to about 10 meters, with the lion gaining on him. But Nebiri didn’t back down and charged at the lion, shouting and making animated gestures in a manner synonymous with Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee’s martial arts displays.
After a 15-minute stand-off, The Herald reports, the lion eventually retreated to his abode, leaving Nebiri nursing chest and rib pains owing to the protracted exertions. However, the lion reappeared from the bush, and the battle continued, with Nebiri shouting, kicking and raising his hands again.
Nebiri walked back towards his workplace and saw a vehicle heading in the direction of his home in Batonga. He waved it down, and the driver, Hardlife Zawani, drove him back to the scene where they found his bag and slippers.
Residents who live near the area said they heard roaring noises, but thought it was an elephant. The area between the University of Zimbabwe fisheries research station and Lomagundi Lakeside Association is a known crossing point for lions as they make their way to and from Lake Kariba to drink water.
Kariba residents in Nyamhunga, Batonga, and Garikai suburbs, among others, walk along the Charara Road, despite the lurking danger of wild animals, including elephants, buffaloes, hyenas and lions.