Zimbabwe’s Sungulani Maxwell Chikumbutso recently demonstrated what he claims to be revolutionary energy technology to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The demonstration featured an electric vehicle, reportedly a modified Chinese-manufactured car available on Alibaba, which Chikumbutso claims can run indefinitely without charging through his “Microsonic energy device.” This device, he says, converts radio frequencies into usable energy.
Chikumbutso’s claims have shifted over time. In 2013, he initially stated his device generated power “from air.” Now, he describes it as harnessing radio frequencies for energy production. He has said this technology can power various vehicles, including cars, helicopters, and bikes.
Ironically he has made these claims during a decade when Zimbabwe has faced and continues to experience a severe electricity crisis, with daily power outages exceeding 15 hours throughout the country.
Scientific and Legal Challenges
Chikumbutso acknowledges his invention allegedly violates fundamental laws of physics, specifically the laws of thermodynamics. When attempting to patent the technology, he reports being rejected on the grounds that it violated natural physical laws and lacked industrial applicability. Rather than addressing these scientific concerns, he says he opted to treat the technology as a trade secret.
His narrative includes a concerning account of attempted operations in Silicon Valley, where he alleges that he and a partner were poisoned due to their revolutionary discovery, resulting in his partner’s death. He claims this led to his return to Zimbabwe at the invitation of the president.
The Scientific Method Problem
It’s tempting for amateurs like me (and probably you the reader) to want to go into the science of energy and why Chikumbutso’s claims are impossible, or God-sent depending on the side you are. Ofcourse his claim has been proved to be false, but I think that would be going at the wrong issue altogether.
The core issue lies not in Chikumbutso’s claim of a revolutionary discovery – history shows breakthrough innovations can come from unexpected sources. Rather, the problem is his apparent rejection of the scientific method, which has been instrumental in validating every major technological advancement from telecommunications to aviation.
His association with Spiritage company from around 2013 framed his technologies as “spiritual gifts,” suggesting they transcend scientific explanation. That company, which bet significantly on his technologies, eventually went bankrupt. The spiritual angle to his technologies remains though. It’s reflected in his company name, Saith Technologies, derived from the biblical phrase “Thus Saith the Lord.”
While spiritual beliefs and scientific innovation aren’t mutually exclusive, verifiable scientific evidence is still crucial for technological claims.
Does Zimbabwe and Africa have a shortage of scientists?
Zimbabwe has numerous qualified scientists and IP lawyers, both domestically and in the diaspora, who could help evaluate these claims through proper scientific channels. A rigorous, transparent scientific validation process would better serve both Chikumbutso and Zimbabwe than presidential endorsements of unverified technologies.
The hallmark of legitimate scientific breakthrough is not just innovation but verifiability. If Chikumbutso’s technology functions as claimed, it could be validated while protecting his intellectual property rights through proper patents and peer review – standard practices that have successfully protected countless revolutionary innovations throughout history.
President Mnangagwa’s personal involvement means there’s politicization of unverified scientific claims. Despite Zimbabwe having access to globally recognized scientists and intellectual property experts who could facilitate proper scientific validation while protecting Chikumbutso’s interests, the demonstration bypassed traditional scientific scrutiny in favor of political endorsement.
This situation, unfortunately, bears uncomfortable similarities to the “Dhiziri paChinhoyi” episode during Robert Mugabe’s presidency, where unverified scientific claims received presidential endorsement, ultimately damaging national credibility.
He is playing with fire presenting such things to the President. If he is found to be fraudulent, it will not end well for him.
i have been listening and tracing his background something is not adding up .
Why worry..Just put his invention on a road test for a month to prove /disapprove him
Exactly. In Shona we say, Sei kuyera nyoka negavi iyo iripo (roughly, why using a bark to measure the length of a snake when you can just do it on the snake). Let us get the cars and inventions on to the Zimbabwean market and see for ourselves. If he really has made these products he must not worry about filing patents. He must just make as many as he wants and when the world sees our 18 hour blackout over they will come rushing.
Good one, just get them cars on the road
Just one round trip to Beitbridge will be enough.
You know, there is no scientific verification needed here, just a road trip, say Cap to Cairo!
Reminds how the Chinhoyi caves deiseal scam was perpetuated for so long and no one dared stand up challenged the absurd claims that were being made
Thus Saith The Lord
Inventions are perfected over time. We just are doubting Thomases who believe nothing comes from Zimbabwe.
True. The fact that he had made som3is reason enough to give him time amd resources. After all look at how America is fighting a trade war with China. Do yiu think they will just approve this man’s work easily
It’s got nothing to do with his Zim origins. He is not the first in the world to make such outlandish claims and refuse to have them subjected to scientific review. What is really happening here is that he wants gullible investors to give him money without him proving his claims first.
I small desperation.Imagine an Invention or rather a technology that cannot be proven or verified using scientific methods!A big 2025 scam it is!
Ko chinonzi sainzi chiiko. Lets not be stereotypical
While spiritual beliefs and scientific innovation aren’t mutually exclusive, Do research first before you shout nonsense, you know the discovery of microchips is actually due to the study of spiritual ancient symbols.
Dzavharwa nechingezi idzi 🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂 kwidibi chaiyo
no more zuva & no more zesa bills
Dzavharwa nechingezi idzi 🤣🤣🤣
White people are misleading telling everyone that technology and spiritual world are not connected but the truth is everything is connected,just look at what the greatest scientists are doing at CERN in Switzerland, studying Nuclear fusion, Quantum physics and Demons even sacrificing animals.
That is the same exactly device like the Tesla coil tht never seen the face of the sun due to powerful people protecting their teritories.. electricity was always free in this earth’s atmosphere,do a research on Nikola Tesla and see but the sad part is tht he went to the grave with all tht tech because noone wanted to partent them and let him realise his goal..
Lets just connect it to the national grid tione. He might be onto something zvika failer wo we know takamupa chance. What we need now is an enviroment that fosters innovation and makes life easier…. ma rockets mangani a Elon Musk akadhuuka before azoita success. I think government should support the guy kana zvichiita to exporter magetsi atagadzira toita bag.
Now that he is in touch with the president I believe his patents issue is solved. If his inventions really work he must ignore the naysayers and go into full-scale production and the customers will flock especially on his energy generators.
” …..When attempting to patent the technology, he reports being rejected on the grounds that it violated natural physical laws and lacked industrial applicability. Rather than addressing these scientific concerns, he says he opted to treat the technology as a trade secret…. ”
WTF!!!! If anyone who reads this, thinks it to be plausible, YOU NEED TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. Your brain cells are either failing or worse, they have failed !!!!
First the claim his patent was rejected because it had no industrial applicability. What !!! But he claims it can power all types of vehicles. How can something that can supposedly power a car not have any industrial applicability?
As for this spiritual nonsense. It is proof he is just another, “scam prophet”. No wonder, numero uno came sniffing about. Those are his people. NXA !!!!!
Simz Zimbabweans don’t beliv in ich other, here his tech is blocked by laws set by others to reject any idea which doesn’t saport the passed laws of physics. All u esp writer who doesn’t know kut radio frequence is in th air, you know with tech you can develop something that works realy well but you won’t bee understanding how it works, some innovations are misteks or or strange results eg the light bulb was not planned but resulted, magetsi was not researched on but resulted. So him not understanding how his machine works isn’t a problem or changing stetments but very normal in physics of his path coz haisi breaklaying but electronics. Mr writer you can’t even relate to what u have oredy writen to try correct yo self. Write about things you hev complit understanding o.
If it doesn’t wek properly now hazvireve kut hazviite some innovations took dacades to fully develop under gvnmt saport, xray gun took decades, diesel engine dacades from 1880s untill late 1920s.
His tech is prohibited or haibvumirwe in this world nomater it weks inosungisa. Nicolai Tesla had same technology wani n was blocked, tesla holds over 700patens and this idea he got blocked by his boss first who owned GE in USA.
You guys shud understand why vaingazvide, it’s all coz fuel companys battery companies and other related electronics companies Wil loose market , and once a car is sold no more aftersales profit, forcing downsizing etc.
Let’s not criticize but rather advocate fo amendment of thermodynamics physics laws.
This guy akagadxira radio station rakabata kuwadzana 6 high 1 area achi broadcaster from his father’s house, huyai kuwDzana muri one.
well written and balanced article
In Ghana and I need some of the generators to power my house
I fear his mind is like that of a certain prophet who claimed to have shared a steak with God. Lunacy personified.
is he related to profit magaya, or the woman that found refined fuel coming out of a rock? silly clowns
The man is onto something here. Tesla did it but he was an academic so he wrote and calculated a lot of stuff. Yes, it is a thing; Wireless power transfer is a generic term for a number of different technologies for transmitting energy by means of electromagnetic fields and in the type of electromagnetic energy they use: time varying electric fields, magnetic fields, radio waves, microwave. If this guy has figured out what was proven over a 100 years ago then kudos to him. The proof is the pudding. Make the cars in Harare, Bulawayo, Hwange, Livingstone, Kitwe, Gaborone and Windhoek then flood Africa with these Energy producing cars which will solve a bigger chunk of Africa’s problems today! I stand by him and if he fails, at least, he tried.
Remember those who discovered those thermodynamic laws are not gods.
Vanhuo sei. Mayb there is somewhere pavaka potsa. There might be some exceptions to their laws which they ddnt notice by then.
These exceptions might be the ones that we are now discovering and use like in inventions like this guy’s car.
Daniel Chingoma made a helicopter but it was rejected because it was a Zimbabwean. Noone bothered to work with him or sponsor him
I want to believe but my logic and common sense are buzzing.. So I went looking and found the vehicle which was “modified” for this demo;
https://www.ml-vehicle.com/new-energy-vehicles/small-ev-car/chery-kaiyi-xuanjie-pro-ev.html
Now going down a rabbit hole over RF-EH tech and its current state. Suffice to say, there are many inconsistencies and lies in his claims.
Finally, a Toyota Urban Cruiser weighs 1165kgs dry….
If this was Elon Musk no one would be saying nonsense.
There is a US Space project which is at an advanced stage to beam energy to devices in remote locations that can store that energy and covert it to electricity. There are billions of particles from space that are yet to be identified and described. Could the young man have stumbled upon a highly energetic particle from which he is harnessing power from, very feasible. Remember they sent Galileo to prison for claiming that the world was round.