While doing Grade Five in Chimbwerere Village, Chief Chipuriro in
the grimy lands of Guruve, Constable Kaswamunzira had a reverie in which he was
working in a workshop. He was designing an electric car which used battery
power only. He still remembers explaining to people, some whites, how this car could work.
Spurred by this dream, Constable Kaswamunzira has designed and
built an electric car powered by 36-volt batteries, which produce 200 amps.
The Outpost’s Chief Reporter Robert Zvidza recently traveled to
the Eastern Highlands to cover this amazing story of an unusual creation by an
innovative young police officer who seems to be seeing beyond the sky.
With limited resources, Constable Kaswamunzira says he had to hunt
for a disused vehicle body where he put a gearbox, electric motor and batteries
among other components to build the unusual car.
“I always wanted to do this project but I did not have resources
to buy the requirements needed to start it despite having all the designs in my
mind. I started raising the money for the project in November last year and
began working on it in February this year and it’s now moving,” he said in an
interview.
He was jubilant when after designing it, he saw that the car could
move. He was even afraid of driving it but his workmate with whom he was
working with on the project – Constable Solomon Munyanyi opted to go behind the
wheel and give a test drive.
“The vehicle became the talk of the town as many people came around
it at work. We then drove the vehicle to Chikanga bus terminus as well as to
Dangamvura bus terminal. Some even followed it from Chikanga to Sakubva just to
have a glimpse of the car moving. It was an attraction in the city because of
its unique nature. We decided to end there and not to move with it and parked
it in camp,” said Constable Kaswamunzira.
This reporter was afforded the chance to ride in the unique car
and had a feel of how it operates. It is not fiction but very real, the car
moves.
But his dream on an electric vehicle is not over yet as he wishes
to design a car which can travel for over 4 000 kilometres without running out
of power.
“Based on calculations, this car can travel up to 30 - 40
kilometres although it can travel even more. However, I want to add a charging
system comprising solar panels so that the car travels from Cape to Cairo
without power running out. My research has proved to me that the already built
electric cars only travel for limited kilometres and I want to go an extra mile,”
he said.
Technology has been Constable Kaswamunzira’s staple diet from an
early age. He said he can design virtually anything from a windmill that
generates electricity, grinding mill, electric bicycles among other machines.
“All my designs are inspired by dreams and visions which I see
while I am asleep. Whenever I have a challenge in anything that I am making, a
dream comes to me that same night informing me on how to overcome the
challenge.
“I just love the use of technology to an extent that I always try
to make my life easier through the use of technology,” he said.
He speaks of other dreams which he still needs to fulfill.
Constable Kaswamunzira says after dreaming of this car he has
made, he also dreamt himself designing a helicopter while in grade seven in
2001.
“I still remember every component of that helicopter. The difference of this helicopter to the ones
which we are used to is the type of fuel used. The helicopter that I will
design will use our ordinary fuels - diesel and petrol rather than jet fuel,”
said Constable Kaswamunzira.
He also vividly remembers another dream where he designed an
automatic incubator which is usable in rural areas as it will be powered by
batteries only.
“Given the resources, I can still make these things,” he
challenged.
Having made his first major invention, Constable Kaswamunzira is
dreaming of a day he will be allowed to showcase his talents.
Constable Kaswamunzira was born at Howard Hospital and grew up in
Guruve in Mashonaland Central Province where he did his education at Kondo
Primary and Secondary Schools. His love for technology started at an early
stage while at secondary school where he did physical science. He was already
involved in designing several machines with the help of his physics teacher,
the late Mr. Mutyambizi who discovered his talent.
He came out well at O’ Level but did not manage to proceed to
Advanced Level. He continued with some of his inventions and was employed as an
Electric Engineer by a local chrome mine - Sun hi Mine in 2006 and 2007.
One day, a well-wisher, Mr. Newman Muzvondiwa, a local farmer and
former engineering lecturer recommended him to Chinhoyi University of
Technology (CUT) to train as an Engineer based on his talent without
Advanced Level education.
“I was told to bring samples of my inventions and the lecturers
were awed after seeing my machines. I took with me a landline phone which I had
made as well as a lawnmower and a groundnuts sheller and they were very much
impressed. I, however, failed to enroll in 2008 after the semesters were
postponed several times due to the economic challenges then that negatively
impacted on several institutions,” he said.
He added; “Another local white farmer, the late Mr. Malcom Francis
took me to Kariba after seeing my talent. He wanted me to help him modify and
extend his Vhundu Ful Houseboat which parks at the Andora Harbour in Lake
Kariba.
“I helped with the designs where we fitted two lorry engines, put
a swimming pool and cabins. The job took one and a half years. The designs were
very difficult that’s why we took a long time.”
Constable Kaswamunzira’s desire to serve the country saw him
joining the police in June 2011 and was posted to ZRP Mutare Central upon
completion of training.
He believes his knowledge is far ahead of what is taught in
universities in Africa and has an ambition to one day go to Japan and copy
their technology which he intends to bring back to Zimbabwe.
“I think to attend African Universities is a waste of time for me
because there is nothing to learn. I want to at least go to countries like
Japan and once I spend a year or two there I know I will be able to develop
from their modern technology. I am good at copying things and develop them
further. This will hugely help the country,” he said.
“Basically, I can design anything but I only lack resources. If I
had the resources, I could have started building this car from its body but I
had to look for a disused car body to put up my ideas.
“Given a chance, I can build electric cars for the ZRP for scene
attendance, or electric cycles for patrols. I can even design helicopters that
will use our normal fuel for air patrols. That is my dream. I believe this will
save the organisation money that is spent on fuel and direct it to other policing
needs,” Constable Kaswamuzira told The Outpost.
The young and ambitious police officer has maintained that he
believes in himself. Socially he is a person who is so much into himself and
maintains a private life. He believes too many friends are bad because some of
them try and derail his plans to invent thinking they are outrageous.
Mr. Muzvondiwa said that Kaswamunzira had a talent that was from
inside him because he could make unusual inventions.
“I realised his talent was natural and I challenged him to make
something since I am also into engineering. He did it with ease and that is
when I recommended that he goes to Chinhoyi University of Technology to study
further. He could not do so due to financial constraints. I wish he is given a
chance and all the resources to make all what he thinks he can achieve because
I believe in his capability. I also wish him to get sponsorship even from the
government so that he goes to countries like Japan where I think he will
benefit more knowledge and skills to help the country,” said Mr. Muzvondiwa in a
tele-interview.
His classmate for four years, Callistus Magaya, who later pursued
a different trajectory at the University of Zimbabwe described Constable
Kaswamunzira as a genius from his school days.
“Though he was too quiet, he had a different mind. Firstly, he is
the only person to pass mathematics in our stream. He started talking about
building a helicopter while we were in form three but we never took him
seriously, we thought he was mad. But we later realised it was his talent,” he
said.
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