adminLatwell Nyangu
GROUNDBREAKING engineer, Daniel Chingoma, says he was given an ultimatum to remove his homemade chopper, from the University of Zimbabwe, or it would be destroyed.
It had been left at the UZ campus after being removed from the Mbudzi Roundabout.
Chingoma is now keeping the helicopter at his Chitungwiza home. He said he was advised to remove it or it was going to be destroyed.
Speaking to DJ Ollah 7, during his After Drive Show on Star FM, Chingoma appealed to Zimbabweans to help him standardise the machine.
“At the moment, I haven’t got any help. I am pleading with well-wishers to help me work towards standardising this machine.
“When it was removed from Mbudzi Roundabout by the road construction company, we did not oppose it since it was for development purposes.
“We spoke with university authorities to put our machine there since it’s a place of higher learning.
“It was for the purpose of them helping us to improve the helicopter.
“It’s unfortunate that we were given a negative answer.
“Hanzi pisai, we don’t want it here. They didn’t explain, but just said we can’t help you. “I am surprised that a university turned down innovative ideas.
“They even gave us a time frame, hanzi mukasachibvisa tikunochirasa.
“We then hired a lorry to take it home. It weighs 1 200kgs, just like a Madza 323.”
Chingoma, who runs TAISEK Engineering, said he has always been innovative.
“I developed a telephone in the rural areas around 1978, which could be used to communicate up to 1km.
“Zvekubata bata zviri mandiri,” he said.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter