Self-styled Zimbabwean inventor Maxwell Chikumbutso is making headlines again after being hosted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House, Harare on January 28, by claiming he had developed a vehicle powered by radio frequency (RF) waves.
Experts earlier pointed out that RF energy is far too weak to power a car, making his claims another pseudoscientific deception.
The re-emergency of Chikumbutso in Zimbabwe, and in no other place than State House Harare, asserting that he had developed a car engine that could run on RF waves without any conventional fuel source, begs resolute scientific rejoinders.
Chikumbutso, through his company Saith Technologies, has claimed to have created "free energy" devices, including an RF-powered generator and vehicles.
However, no independent scientific verification of his claims has ever been provided. Experts have repeatedly dismissed his work as pseudoscience, as RF waves do not carry enough usable energy to power an automobile.
Despite science proving that this is obviously a hoax, his claims continue circulating, fueled by social media misinformation and the world’s desire for revolutionary energy solutions.
There have been several high-profile hoaxes related to alternative fuel sources, often propagated by individuals or companies seeking publicity or financial gain. The list of high-profile hoaxes is long and embarrassing.
One of the most infamous cases is that of Stanley Meyer, who claimed in the 1990s to have invented a car that could run on water by using a "fuel cell" to split water into hydrogen and oxygen with minimal energy input.
Meyer made significant investments before being sued for fraud in 1996. The court held that his "Water Fuel Cell" was a scam.
Similarly, Filipino inventor Daniel Dingel falsely claimed for decades that he had developed a water-powered car but never provided scientifically valid proof, and he was convicted of fraud in 2008.
Another notorious case is Genepax, a Japanese company that 2008 briefly claimed to have a water-powered car before shutting down, admitting they had no real innovation.
Many hoaxes gain traction because they exploit public hope for sustainable energy breakthroughs. Still, they collapse under proper scientific examination, leaving a legacy of skepticism and lost investments.
The Kanzius Effect, proposed by John Kanzius, suggested that saltwater could be used as fuel when exposed to specific radio frequencies.
However, this was later proven to require more energy than it could produce, making it unfeasible as a power source. A similar hoax emerged in Pakistan in 2012 when Agha Waqar Ahmad, an engineer, claimed to have invented a "water kit" that could allow cars to run solely on water.
Many of these claims gain traction because they play on the hope for revolutionary clean energy. Still, they ultimately collapse under analysis, leaving behind a trail of financial losses and disillusioned supporters.
The public needs to beware and watch out claims that seem too good to be true. If someone promises a revolutionary new technology that defies the laws of physics, it's probably a scam.
Second, we need to demand transparency and accountability from those making these claims. These hoaxes undermine legitimate research and innovation and scientists who are working tirelessly to develop real solutions to our energy challenges.
The author is the founder and Managing Director, Dei BioPharma, in Uganda.
He is one of Uganda's thoughtafter scientists, and also a researcher, author, and biotechnology innovator.
