By Burnett Munthali
Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma was on Friday 21 April, 2023 spotted using an official car without number plates contrary to legal requirements.
He was a guest of honour at Zimbabwe Independence Day Celebration in Lilongwe.
But in an interview, Zikhale Ng’oma justified his ‘act’, saying he had removed the number plate for security reasons.
Said the minister: “I am just being driven but I think those responsible for the car have removed the number plates for security reasons. You know we are relocating refugees back to [Dzaleka] the camp. I may be a target. This is for security reasons.”
I am surprised with this kind of response from the Minister. I am made to think that Minister Ken Zikhale Ng’oma did not notice his car didn’t have the number plates before jumping on it and even after alighting from the car.
Perhaps the Minister knew all this or saw that the number plates were removed on the vehicle but decided to respond in that manner just to enjoy his way of responding to the press.
However, this article looks at some questions and possible answers to all this.
It is an offence driving a vehicle without number plates. But of course there are some circumstances probably it could be vehicles of government officials sometimes are allowed to do that, more especially the intelligence and many other people which we cannot disclose here.
Your number plate is an important part of your vehicle. It is a legal responsibility to make sure that you have it affixed in the right places to your vehicle at all times, and if you are found driving without them by the police then you can face a fine.
The birth of number plates
Many people credit the Dutch for inventing number plates. While the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (Dienst Wegverkeer) did introduce the first ever nationally registered license plate system on 26 April 1898, the concept itself was conceived five years earlier in France.
Dumb reason for driving like a stolen car. Homeland security is guided by low intelligence man