The image of President Emmerson Mnangagwa standing alongside flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo and Kenyan President William Ruto yesterday was more than just a photo opportunity. It was a disturbing symbol of how deeply Zimbabwe’s political and economic spaces have become entangled. As Ruto prepares to officially open the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo today, the real story lies not in trade, but in trust. The kind of trust that Zimbabweans have long lost in their leaders. And scenes like this only confirm why.
Wicknell Chivayo is no ordinary businessman. His name is almost synonymous with controversy. From questionable deals to flashy social media displays, he has made himself a household name for all the wrong reasons. His company, Intratek, has repeatedly landed massive government contracts, the most notable being a staggering US$200 million solar project that many believe never delivered the intended results. The question on everyone’s lips is how a man with such a chequered past continues to dine at the high table of power. The answer is painfully clear. Connections matter more than competence in the Zimbabwe of today.
Chivayo’s close alliance with President Mnangagwa has come with obvious benefits. He has turned government contracts into personal glory. He has turned loyalty to the ruling party into an opportunity to hand out luxury vehicles like sweets at a parade. Celebrities and party loyalists have been seen driving around in expensive cars allegedly gifted by Chivayo. Some call it generosity. Others see it for what it is. A calculated move to buy influence and entrench power. It is like throwing confetti at a wedding while the guests are starving. The spectacle hides the rot.
These scenes are not just troubling. They are dangerous. They blur the line between leadership and opportunism. They send a loud message that in Zimbabwe, success is not built through innovation or hard work but through allegiance to the ruling elite. That message crushes the hopes of ordinary Zimbabweans who strive honestly every day to build better lives. It tells them that they do not matter. That the game is rigged and the players are already chosen.
Chivayo’s public praise of Mnangagwa is not just admiration. It is strategy. It is positioning. It is a business plan dressed up as patriotism. And the President does not seem to mind. In fact, he seems to welcome it. That is what makes it worse. Because at the heart of this entire affair is the erosion of good governance. The type of governance that puts country above connections and integrity above indulgence.
This latest display comes at a time when Zimbabweans are grappling with economic hardship, widespread corruption, and a government that continues to ignore the cries of its people. The partnership between political power and business cronies like Chivayo is not unique to Zimbabwe. It is a disease that infects many African governments. But Zimbabwe’s case is especially tragic. Because the wounds of the past are still open. And yet the same mistakes are being repeated with alarming pride.
Even the international dimension cannot be ignored. For Chivayo to feature prominently during a state visit by President Ruto is to invite scrutiny and suspicion. It suggests that Zimbabwe’s global image is being shaped by the same corrupt networks that dominate its local headlines. It is a slap in the face to every Zimbabwean who wants genuine progress.
As we look to the future, the real question is not about Wicknell Chivayo. It is about what we as a nation are willing to tolerate. Will we keep normalising the marriage of power and profit or will we finally stand up and demand better? Our democracy depends on that answer.
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