Wicknell Chivayo, a businessman from Zimbabwe, has once again come into the spotlight after reports showed he recently met with Kenyan President William Ruto in Nairobi.
This is not the first time Chivayo has been spotted at State House. Around April this year, he was seen leaving the premises with an official government envelope, and now he’s back, drawing even more attention.
What’s causing concern is not just the meeting itself but who Chivayo is and the kind of reputation he carries.
Chivayo has been linked to serious corruption allegations in Zimbabwe, especially surrounding the 2023 general elections. His company, Intratrek, worked closely with Ren-Form, a South African printing firm contracted to supply voting materials like ballot papers and biometric kits.
Investigations found that Ren-Form sent large sums of money to Chivayo’s companies, and the prices of supplied materials were hugely inflated. For instance, a server that should have cost R90,000 was quoted at a shocking R23 million. Biometric kits that should have cost $5,000 were instead billed at $16,000 each.
These numbers suggest massive overpricing, with public funds allegedly lost in the process. What makes this situation even more suspicious is Chivayo’s expanding presence in East Africa.
On both of his trips to Kenya this year, reports also place him in Tanzania, where he is said to have met President Samia Suluhu. This pattern of meeting heads of state in the region has raised questions about what Chivayo is really up to.
Some observers suspect that these visits may not be just social calls. The fact that his last trip to Kenya happened during a period referred to as “system maintenance” has also led to whispers about possible deeper connections to electoral systems, though nothing has been officially confirmed.
Chivayo’s political ties are strong. He was introduced at a state function by Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and has been seen attending global events such as climate meetings in Dubai.
Despite his history with fraud cases especially the Gwanda Solar Project in Zimbabwe worth over US$170 million, which fell into controversy Chivayo continues to appear alongside powerful leaders. Even though he was acquitted in some of the cases, the perception of his conduct hasn’t improved.
His social media pages are filled with photos of luxury cars, expensive gifts, and meetings with politicians, which only deepens public suspicion.
The question many are asking now is why African leaders continue to entertain someone with such a controversial past.
With corruption being a huge problem in many countries across the region, Chivayo’s frequent access to heads of state brings up worries about transparency and accountability. If someone involved in questionable deals in Zimbabwe can freely move around East Africa meeting presidents, what does that say about the fight against corruption in the region?
This situation is being closely followed by media and civil society, especially in light of ongoing investigations in South Africa, where authorities are also probing the money trail linked to Chivayo and Ren-Form. As pressure grows, more light may be shed on the true nature of these regional meetings and whether they serve public interest or personal gain.
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