When Life Becomes 'Living Hell' for Landmine Victim

A landmine victim Hlengwani Mudzikiti (Zimbabwe)

Hlengwani Mudzikiti (56) of Dumisa area in Chiredzi South Zimbabwe could be cursing the gods after his fortunes which thane appeared to be on the rise were suddenly crushed when he stepped on a landmine 6 years ago. Mudzikiti had gone to look for his stray cattle into a nearby forest,but the search changed his life forever when he lost his left leg after accidentally stepping on an antipersonnel mine.
Blast mine - Italian VS-MK2

Despite the accident occurring on one hot afternoon in 2013,memories of that day still haunts him and anger piles each time he gets up to walk. Mudzikiti leaves nothing to the imagination when he starts talking about landmines and does not mince his words.His anger and criticism of the Rhodesian forces for laying landmines in his home area drives him into tears.Fours years down the line ,his wish remains to have those responsible for the landmine menace come forward and apologise.

He talked about his trials and tribulations."My life has become a living hell since losing this leg.The pain i have is bigger than a mountain.I had gone to the forest to look for my stray cattle and i suddenly stepped on a stump of grass only to hear a thundering and shattering sound.In a second i was down thinking i had been attacked by a cattle rustler from Mozambique.When i fell,i thought i had escaped my attacker but was surprised that i was in fact lying down and my left leg was missing,"Mudzikiti recalls.

Mudzikiti said after initially failing to get immediate help ,he was helped two days later by a group of women who had heard his faint cries for help.In a space of few minutes ,the ladies managed to improvise and knit a long enough rope out of mopani tree bark,which they threw to him to tie around the waist for them to pull him out of the mine field.At the time the ladies were fresh from attending a landmine awareness campaign in the area.

Mudzikiti says he was to be carried in scotch cart to the Hospital,some 120km away where his leg was immediately amputated.He was to stay in hospital for the next three months.Upon his return from hospital his life took an ugly turn after his wife with whom he has three kids abandoned him to go back to her parents home.Now walking on clutches and nolonger able to do household chores,Mudzikiti turned into a wanderer going for occasional traditional beer drinking binges.

The landmine menace has caused a lot of nightmares for many in Zimbabwe and Mudzikiti's hellish experience is not an isolation.Such is life of many landmine victims who among the majority of the Zimbabweans calling for an increase of the rate at which demining operations are taking place.

Areas along the countries borders are are still littered with landmines ,which have restricted movement ,farming and grazing among many other commercial activities,There are an estimated 3 000 000 antipersonnel landmines still dotted around the countries borders and at the current rate of demining,it will take approximately years to clear all landmines according to the Zimbabwe Mine Action Center.

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