Wicknell Chivayo has become one of the most talked about names in Zimbabwe. Not because of his intelligence or hard work but because of his connections to power. Many people now call him a tenderpreneur. That word alone says everything. He is not known for building anything from the ground up. He is known for winning government tenders. Over and over again. And the reason is not a secret. He is very close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa. That friendship has opened doors for him while the rest of the country suffers in poverty.
Chivayo loves to show off. Expensive clothes. Flashy cars. First class flights. Lavish holidays. He paints a picture of success. But many Zimbabweans are not fooled. They ask one important question. Where is the money coming from. And the answer is clear. Government contracts. Public funds. Money that should be used to build hospitals and schools. Money that should be used to create jobs. That is what makes this painful. While ordinary citizens queue for basic goods Chivayo smiles from luxury resorts.
This is not just about one man. It is about the system that allows one man to rise through dirty deals while others sink deeper into poverty. This is what cronyism does. It rewards friendship not merit. It locks out honest businesspeople. It kills innovation. It makes a joke of our economy. It breaks the dreams of young people who have no connections to State House.
The government says it wants to fight corruption. But what kind of fight is this when men like Chivayo keep getting more tenders. It is not a fight. It is a dance. A dance of lies and betrayal. If the government was serious it would investigate every tender. It would make every deal public. It would punish every thief. Including those who sit near the President.
Zimbabwe is not a poor country. We are rich in minerals. We are rich in land. But our riches are being stolen by a greedy few. They take the cream and leave the crumbs for the rest of us. This is why schools are collapsing. This is why hospitals have no medicine. This is why young people are leaving the country in search of hope.
Many young people are qualified. Talented. Ready to work. But they are blocked. Not because they are not good enough but because they do not know the right people. They do not dine with the powerful. They do not wear designer suits or post photos from Paris. All they have is potential. And in Zimbabwe potential means nothing if you are not connected.
Chivayo’s power goes beyond business. It spills into politics. With money comes influence. With influence comes silence. People are afraid to speak. They fear losing tenders. They fear losing jobs. This is how democracy dies. Not in one big explosion but in small quiet steps. One tender at a time. One favour at a time. One silence at a time.
As a political activist I say this must stop. Zimbabwe belongs to all of us. Not just to the rich and powerful. Not just to those who kneel before the President. We must rise. We must speak. We must resist. Chivayo is not a hero. He is a symptom of the disease we must cure.
Let us fight for justice. Let us fight for equality. Let us build a Zimbabwe where hard work matters more than handshakes. Let us take back our future. This is our country. This is our time. Let us say no to corruption. Let us say no to lies. Let us say yes to a new Zimbabwe.
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