A 49-year-old Hurungwe man is lucky to be alive after surviving a lion attack in Chirundu last month in Zimbabwe.

Isa Chitenje narrated his encounter with the big cat during a live show on Star Fm radio with Tilder Moyo where he sensationally claimed that he shoved his hand into the lion’s mouth during the attack to avoid being torn to pieces.

In an interview with H-Metro, Chitenje, a gardener attached to Tiger Safaris in Mujinga Village, Hurungwe said he was yet to recover from the wounds he suffered during the attack on 13 May this year. He said:

It is only by the grace of the Lord that I survived and I would like to thank my fellow workers Thomas Dzamba, Takesure Dzamba and Amos Dzamba who heard my cry and rushed to scare the lion when it was dragging me into the bush.

I was on my way from Chirundu shopping centre going home at around 6 pm when the lion attacked me.

I do not know how I thought of forcing my hand into its mouth and that reduced its strength and I shouted for help.

It scratched most parts of my body with its jaws and upon seeing people it left me and disappeared into the bush.

It is my prayer that I respond well to the treatment I am receiving but I am facing challenges in meeting the medical bills.

Chitenje is a father of four and a follower of the Gorejena Apostolic Faith Church.