Is Wicknell Chivayo Spending ZESA Money To Buy Expensive Vehicles?
Zimbabwe power utility, ZESA Holdings, has waded into the businessman Wicknel Chivayo’s splurges of millions of United States in buying top-of-the-range vehicles by dismissing claims that the company has been forced to pay the flamboyant youthful tycoon US$33mn by the Supreme Court.
Chivayo has become a centre of attraction after splurging millions of dollars in buying vehicles for the ruling Zanu PF party apologists and musicians linked to the revolutionary party.
The showy socialite gifted musicians Jah Prayzah, Sandra Ndebele, DJ Fantan and Suluman Chimbetu with classy vehicles all ranging towards half a million dollars.
This is after he had bought close to hundred small vehicles to members of his Johane Masowe eChishanu church and splashing thousands of dollars on his uncles and father-in-law.
In all this, Chivayo has attracted fans and haters alike with many speculating he was abusing money he got and is set to receive from power utility, ZESA Holdings, as part of the payment to the controversial 100MW Gwanda Solar Project, claims disputed by the company.
There were social media reports yesterday that the Supreme Court had ordered ZESA to pay the Intratek boss US$33mn after the company CEO failed to appear in court as a witness.
The social media claims also stated that US$7mn, part of the US$33mn will be given to the said CEO.
However, ZESA Holdings, in a terse statement said the post was misleading and malicious.
“ZESA Holdings has taken note of a post circulating on social media, falsely claiming that the Supreme Court has ordered the payment of US$33mn to Mr. Wicknel Chivayo. The post further alleges that the order was granted against ZESA after its “CEO” allegedly failed to appear in court. We would like to advise our valued stakeholders that the contents of the aforesaid post are grossly misleading, false and maliciously calculated to misinform the general public,” the company statement read in part.
“ZESA reassures its customers, stakeholders and the general public of its commitment to principles of good governance, chief among which being integrity and accountability.”
Ministry of Information permanent secretary Nick Mangwana waded into the claims saying: “The intention of the mischief is never in doubt.”
This was in apparent reference to longstanding claims that Chivayo was splashing money received from ZESA.
Last year, ZESA was forced to refute claims that it would pay Chivayo millions of dollars following a Supreme Court ruling on the appeal by the Zimbabwe Power Company against a High Court decision which had found that the Contract for the development of the 100MW Gwanda Solar Project was still valid. ZPC’s appeal was dismissed after a hearing before Justices Chiweshe, Makoni and Musakwa.
“In the public interest however, it is important to give the correct narrative on the legal implications of the Supreme Court judgement, considering that certain online articles have published an incorrect and misleading position,” a statement by the company following the ruling stated.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the High Court judgement did not award Intratrek damages in the sum of US$22mn as alleged by some online publications or any other sum in damages for that matter. To the contrary, the High Court only granted an order for specific performance, which in simple terms requires parties to perform their respective obligations under the EPC Contract.”
