Online Reporter
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
A KARIBA resident was trampled by an elephant over the weekend.
The incident occurred near the National Angling union of Zimbabwe (NAUZ) premises.
Esward Jamu, 56, was returning to the site after a shopping trip in Chalala, when he encountered the elephant. The animal charged, attacked and trampled him.
Jamu was rushed to the Nyamhunga Clinic before being transferred to Kariba District Hospital, due to the severity of his injuries.
He succumbed to his injuries.
This latest fatality has reignited concerns over the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the Kariba area.
The tragedy follows another harrowing encounter, just two weeks ago, when Ben Siabeza, a worker at the Nyanyana Fishing Cooperative, narrowly escaped death after being attacked by a hippopotamus.
The attack occurred near the Econet Bridge as Siabeza was walking home to Nyamhunga 3 after a ZAOGA church meeting that finished at 8pm.
While other congregants travelled in groups, Siabeza was walking alone. “I decided to walk faster to get home early, unaware that a hippo was hiding in the thick bushes beside the road,” Siabeza told H-Metro the hippo suddenly charged at him.
“I ran as fast as I could, trying to reach the nearby power lines for safety. I was lucky because the thick brush concealed me and the hippo couldn’t find me.”
Rescuers pulled Siabeza to safety.
“If I had fallen into a ditch, instead of those thorny bushes, the hippo might have killed me. I believe I was very lucky.”
