Chivayo angers Zanu PF

ANESU MASAMVU 

Maverick businessman Wicknel Chivayo (pictured) has angered the ruling Zanu PF party that now accuses the youthful dealer of abusing the name of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to pursue suspicious deals involving millions of dollars.

Leaked audios surfaced last week where Chivayo claimed he had “captured” the President who he said described him as “my son.”

In the leaked audio, Chivayo is heard assuring his business “associates” Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu that he was “very close” to the President and that proximity will open doors for many projects including the supply of grain ahead of a possible drought this year.

His comments have irked the ruling party that has come out fuming against Chivayo who has been dishing out vehicles to Zanu PF sympathisers and musicians.

“We have a possible case of someone misinterpreting the wisdom of the President to take it and personally use it for self-aggrandisement which is not fair,” Zanu PF Director of Information, Farai Marapira told Business Times.

“The President has his doors open for everyone so for people to start name-dropping and abusing that access and abusing the wisdom of His Excellency is something we cannot tolerate as a party,” he said.

“We are really saddened and embittered by the words that have been allegedly spoken by Mr Chivayo because these words demean and seek to reduce the standing and goodwill of our President and First Secretary within the eyes of the people and we cannot tolerate this as a party.”

On donations to Zanu PF sympathisers amounting to millions of dollars including vehicles, Marapira said: “He was not doing it for the party. Zanu PF campaigns for itself (and) what he was doing was his own philanthropic work. However, a good thing can be overtaken by bad behaviour.”

“In as much as we appreciate his philanthropy, we are very saddened and disheartened by the utterances he recorded himself making.”

“If there are going to be any further donations by Mr Chivayo or anyone else, as a party we are now going to be more circumspect on how these donations are made and the platforms on which these donations shall be made.”

Marapira also warned Zanu PF senior officials abusing the party name to commit crimes that they will not be tolerated.

In apparent reference to Chimombe, a Zanu PF Central Committee member, Marapira said : “Being a Central Committee member, being a card carrying member, a provincial member or Politburo member does not exempt one from the dictates of the law.”

“What is necessary is we expect our cadres to be more in tune and more respectful of the law because as we all go out; we are ambassadors of the party.”

“As long as you identify as a Zanu PF member, you are an ambassador, you are a commissar so your conduct reflects that of the party.”

Chivayo, Chimombe and Mpofu have since been invited by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for questioning.

However, Chimombe and Mpofu, through their lawyers, said they are out of the country.