In what has become a major embarrassment for Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, along with Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana, recently deleted their social media posts celebrating Maxwell Chikumbutso’s so-called groundbreaking technological inventions. This move comes after mounting evidence suggested that the inventor may have misled government officials, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chikumbutso, the founder of Saith Technologies, paraded a range of alleged technological breakthroughs at State House, including the Saith FEV car, a hypersonic energy device, and motorbike designs purportedly powered by radio frequencies. President Mnangagwa cut short his national leave to witness the spectacle, lavishing praise on Chikumbutso and even claiming that the United States had offered the inventor $3 million to remain in the country and continue his work.
A Familiar Pattern of Gullibility
The government’s eagerness to endorse Chikumbutso’s unverified claims is reminiscent of the infamous Chinhoyi diesel hoax of 2007. In that scandal, Rotina Mavhunga, a traditional healer with only a grade 3 education, convinced senior ZANU-PF officials, including then-President Robert Mugabe, that diesel was naturally oozing from a rock in Maningwa Hills. Government ministers were so convinced that they even removed their shoes in reverence to ancestral spirits supposedly responsible for the phenomenon.
Like the Chinhoyi fiasco, the Chikumbutso saga highlights a disturbing pattern: Zimbabwean leaders’ propensity to fall for grandiose claims without proper vetting. This tendency not only wastes public resources but also tarnishes the country’s reputation on the global stage.
Publicity Over Due Diligence
One of the key issues at play is the government’s addiction to publicity. In their quest for positive headlines and public validation, Zimbabwean leaders often bypass critical vetting processes. President Mnangagwa’s decision to personally endorse Chikumbutso’s unverified technology underscores this problem. Instead of involving experts to thoroughly test the inventions over a period of months, the government hastily celebrated the claims without scientific validation.
The Ministry of Information’s now-deleted social media post described the Saith FEV as a “full self-powering electric vehicle, which is powered entirely by radio waves.” Such a statement defies current scientific understanding and should have raised immediate red flags. Yet, government officials were quick to amplify the claims without demanding evidence.
The Global Context: Lessons from Tech Scams
The tech industry is rife with fraudsters who prey on investors’ and governments’ eagerness to back the next big innovation. One of the most infamous cases is that of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, a company that claimed to have developed a revolutionary blood-testing technology. Holmes convinced seasoned investors to pour billions into her company, only for it to be exposed as a massive fraud years later.
Zimbabwe must learn from such examples. Due diligence and rigorous testing are essential before endorsing any technological claims. As one commentator pointed out, investigations into major tech breakthroughs cannot be conducted on the doorstep of State House. They require months of scrutiny by experts.
Science Requires Evidence
In science, the principle of “show, don’t tell” is paramount. For an invention to gain credibility, it must be demonstrated, described, and subjected to peer review. Chikumbutso has yet to provide substantial evidence to support his claims. Until such evidence is presented, skepticism is not only justified but necessary.
Some defenders of Chikumbutso have accused critics of jealousy and sabotage, drawing comparisons to Nikola Tesla. However, Tesla’s work was thoroughly documented and validated by his peers. Without similar validation, Chikumbutso’s claims remain dubious.
The Political Risks of Premature Endorsement
The decision to involve President Mnangagwa in the promotion of Chikumbutso’s unverified technology was a strategic blunder. Political leaders should avoid becoming directly involved in endorsing technological products until they have been thoroughly vetted and tested. The risks far outweigh the benefits, as evidenced by the Chinhoyi diesel hoax and now the Chikumbutso saga.
Political endorsement of unproven technology not only exposes the government to ridicule but also undermines public trust. The lack of vetting procedures makes Zimbabwe vulnerable to scams and damages its credibility on the international stage.
A Call for Change
To prevent future embarrassments and foster a culture of innovation and credibility, Zimbabwe must take the following steps:
- Implement a Rigorous Vetting Process: Establish a formal vetting process for technological claims, involving experts from scientific and engineering fields.
- Separate Politics from Innovation: Political leaders should avoid becoming the face of technological inventions until they are thoroughly vetted.
- Promote Evidence-Based Science: Encourage inventors to present their work to peer-reviewed forums rather than seeking immediate political endorsements.
- Learn from Past Mistakes: The Chinhoyi diesel hoax and the current Chikumbutso fiasco should serve as cautionary tales.
Conclusion
Zimbabwe stands at a crossroads. The nation can either continue to be a target for con artists and ridicule or foster a culture of innovation built on evidence, integrity, and scientific rigor. The government’s role should be to create an environment where genuine innovation thrives, not to become a platform for unverified claims. Only by learning from past mistakes can Zimbabwe restore its credibility and unlock its true potential in the global technology landscape.
