Wicknell blew Gwanda millions on luxury shopping, failed to honour US$1m promise says brother

HARARE — The late businessman Wicknell Chivayo received US$5 million linked to the controversial Gwanda solar project but subsequently told his younger brother that the money had run out, despite promising him US$1 million in return for a US$220,000 contribution, his brother Joachim Chivayo has revealed.

Joachim, popularly known as G6, made the disclosure during a funeral tribute Thursday, recounting how he sold several vehicles to help Wicknell secure the Gwanda solar deal, only to watch him embark on an extravagant overseas shopping spree after receiving the payment.

The account has revived questions surrounding the multimillion-dollar solar project, which became the subject of lengthy legal disputes after failing to deliver to Zimbabweans the promised electricity generation capacity.

Joachim said the brothers had prayed for the project for three years while Wicknell prepared the necessary documentation.

He recalled being asked to sell his vehicles to raise money to complete the paperwork, with Wicknell promising him a substantial return once the deal was finalised.

“I am expecting a payment of 5 million USD. Saka whatever money that you choose to invest when the deal comes through I will give you 1 million,” Joachim quoted his brother as saying.

“So I sold most of my disposable vehicles and I managed to raise 220,000 USD,” he said.

Joachim said that less than two months later, Wicknell informed him that the deal had succeeded and that he had received US$5 million.

“Pasina kana two months early one morning he woke me up with news that this his deal had come through and he had just been paid 5 million USD,” he said.

The news left him convinced that he was about to become a millionaire at just 24.

“You should have seen me. I was touching the roof. I was touching the sky. Imagine thinking I’m now a millionaire at 24 years. Just try and imagine that,” he said.

But the celebrations were short-lived.

Joachim said Wicknell stopped answering his telephone calls while posting photographs of expensive purchases on Facebook.

“And then. Ah blazi haachabatike kana pafoni pangu hachadairi,” he said.

“Ndakatizwa nemukuru uyu arera apa. He stopped answering my phone calls, I only saw his Facebook post that he had bought shoes worth US$90,000.”

Joachim said Wicknell described the purchase as merely the beginning of his spending.

“And he said it’s just a warmup on his timeline. That was the caption. Imagine inini handisati ndapiwa yangu US$1 million but blazi,” he said.

He said his brother then travelled to Dubai and the United States, where he continued shopping while remaining unreachable.

“kutoenda ku Dubai buying shoes worth 90,000 USD, and calling it a warm up, a stretching exercise,” Joachim said.

“2 days later, anga ave ku America, shopping clothes as always left, right and center. Apa zvese izvi, ndirikuona zvirikuitika pa Facebook.”

Joachim said Wicknell returned after nearly two weeks, giving him the opportunity to confront him about the outstanding payment.

According to Joachim, Wicknell admitted that he could no longer honour the promise because the money had been exhausted.

“That million that I promised you, ah I can’t give it to you anymore. mari yakapera,” Joachim quoted Wicknell as saying.

Instead, Joachim said, Wicknell offered him a BMW X6, which he valued at US$400,000.

Joachim said his brother had purchased two luxury vehicles, a black BMW X5 bearing registration number ACC 1313 and a BMW X6 registered ABH 5000.

“So if I give you a BMW X6, ndave kuitenga $400,000 US dollars now,” he recalled Wicknell telling him.

Joachim said the proposed arrangement was far below the US$1 million he had expected.

“Mathematics was my strongest subject and this by all means was not an even exchange,” he said.

“I did not know whether to laugh or cry. Unopererwa.”

The revelations drew criticism from political analysts, who questioned the use of money associated with the Gwanda solar project.

Political analyst Phillan Zamchiya said Joachim’s account appeared to connect the payment with Wicknell’s extravagant lifestyle.

“During his eulogy for the late Wicknell Chivayo today, his brother, Joachim Chivayo (G6), inadvertently linked the US$5 million received for the Gwanda solar project to Wicknell’s extravagant spending, including US$90,000 shoes bought in Dubai, luxury cars and expensive overseas holidays,” Zamchiya wrote on Facebook.

“Although the courts somehow absolved Wicknell of criminal wrongdoing, the Gwanda solar project was never delivered. An accountable state would further investigate the sources of wealth in the late Chivayo’s estate before its distribution to beneficiaries.”

Political analyst Piers Pigou was equally critical.

“It doesn’t matter how folk try to spin the behaviour of this guy, Chivayo was a thief and a charlatan,” Pigou wrote on Facebook.

The comments reflected the analysts’ assessments and did not constitute findings of criminal wrongdoing.

The Gwanda solar project was awarded to Wicknell’s company, Intratrek Zimbabwe, to develop a 100-megawatt solar power plant for the Zimbabwe Power Company.

The project became embroiled in controversy after substantial advance payments were made without the planned power plant being completed. Chivayo and his company were subsequently acquitted in criminal proceedings arising from the contract.

Joachim’s remarks provided a rare account from within the Chivayo family of the private financial dealings surrounding one of Zimbabwe’s most controversial energy contracts.

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