Defiant Mnangagwa ushers Chivayo to Mozambican leader’s lavish banquet

3 weeks ago

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Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo was part of the VIPs who joined Presidents Mnangagwa and Chapo while touring stands at the ZITF

By Staff Reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, under fire for allowing cronies unfettered access to state resources, on Thursday rolled the red carpet for businessman Wicknell Chivayo to hobnob with Mozambican leader Daniel Chapo and his delegation at a state banquet hosted for the visiting state leader in Bulawayo.

The banquet was held ahead of the official opening of the 65th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in the country’s second largest city by President Chapo on Friday.

Chivayo has been favoured with multiple lucrative tenders by the Mnangagwa administration.

The controversial businessman has repeatedly been named by war veteran and former Zanu PF Central Committee member Blessed Geza as one of the “criminals” colluding with the Zimbabwe incumbent to plunder national resources under opaque deals running into hundreds of millions of dollars.

Geza, whose whereabouts remain unknown, has recorded several videos whipping up hostile public sentiment against Mnangagwa’s continued rule. He argues the 82-year-old leader cannot stay longer in office due to alleged high level corruption and mental disorder.

President Mnangagwa, unmoved by accusations of turning a blind eye to Chivayo’s corrupt activities, has contemptuously challenged those with evidence of the businessman’s impropriety to report him to the police.

None have dared do so, given Mnangagwa’s apparent public show of support for Chivayo.

Thursday was not the first time Chivayo, who does not hold any government position, has been allowed access to a foreign state leader.

Chivayo has been introduced to Kenyan President William Ruto with images of the businessman with the latter splashed on media pages last year.