MP Promises Support For 7-Year-Old Boy Who Spent Four Nights Among Lions
Tinotenda Pudu, a 7-year-old boy from Kariba in Mashonaland West Province, was lost for four nights in the lion-infested Matusadonha Game Park late last month before being rescued by rangers. After his dramatic ordeal, Tino has rested and stabilised.
Mutsa Murombedzi, a Proportional Representative Member of Parliament from the province, said a mental health team will soon assess Tinotenda to ensure he has not suffered any lasting trauma from his experience.
According to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), the boy disappeared on December 27, 2024, and was found on December 31, approximately 49 kilometers from his home.
Remarkably, he survived in the game park by eating wild fruits and drinking water from a hole he dug in a dry riverbed.
After being rescued, Tinotenda was taken to a local clinic for preliminary examinations and later transferred to Siakobvu Hospital for further medical evaluations.
Meanwhile, Murombedzi said that she will continue to follow up and ensure Tinotenda receives all the care and support he needs during this recovery process. She wrote on X:
I engaged with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Provincial Medical Director for Mashonaland West called me regarding Tinotenda’s well-being after his harrowing experience.
They have assured me that now that he has rested and was stabilized, a mental health team will soon assess him, focusing on his mental health, to ensure he has not suffered lasting trauma.
As part of their advice, they strongly recommended that no interviews be conducted with Tinotenda at this stage. Recounting his ordeal too soon may risk triggering emotional or psychological distress.
We will respect their professional guidance and wait for their green light before any further steps are taken…
I’ll continue to follow up and ensure Tinotenda receives all the care and support he needs during this recovery process. His mental well-being remains our top priority.
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