By Farai D Hove | ZimEye | Harare, Zimbabwe – Tenderpreneur, Wicknell Chivayo has issued conflicting statements regarding leaked Instagram messages and audios purportedly from his account. The disclosures have exposed serious money laundering aimed at removing the elected government. If proven true, all these revelations could legally oust Mnangagwa from power without a single bullet fired.
Chivayo’s statements have added fuel to an already explosive situation. On one hand, he asserts that the leaked chats, which include conversations with wives of prominent men and details of lavish gifts like money and cars, are malicious fabrications generated by fake accounts and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, he admits that these messages were indeed posted from his genuine Instagram account, adding to the gravity of the situation.
The leaked messages and audios suggest Chivayo has been involved in financing activities that could be classified as terrorism. Such accusations, now substantiated, carry severe legal implications for ZANU PF as transactions were executed outside Zimbabwe.
In a detailed statement released on Saturday, July 20th, Chivayo vehemently denied the authenticity of the leaked messages, labeling them as coordinated attacks by criminals who failed to extort him. He stated:
“FOR THE RECORD not everything requires a response, but this continued relentless attack on my personal standing, coordinated character assassination of high-profiled people, and defamation of purely innocent women using my name can NEVER be tolerated or ignored!
I have been APPALLED that over the last few days, almost every social media platform has been awash with screenshots PURPORTEDLY taken from my Instagram account. I disassociate myself from these FAKE screenshots and DISMISS them in their entirety as nothing more than MALICIOUS fabrications being sponsored by CRIMINALS who realized that their attempt to extort me was DISMALLY unsuccessful.”
Chivayo further claimed that various fake accounts, including “sirwicknellfanpage,” “chivayowicknell,” and “wicknell_chivayo_,” were responsible for the deceptive posts. Despite reporting these accounts, he expressed frustration that they have not been taken down.
In his statement, Chivayo also extended apologies to individuals affected by the fake messages, including Prophet Dr. Edd Branson, emphasizing his respect for Branson as a successful businessman.
However, Chivayo’s narrative took a perplexing turn when he acknowledged that these false messages were indeed circulated from his actual Instagram account, contradicting his earlier claims of them being generated by fake accounts and AI. This inconsistency has cast doubt on his denials and raised questions about the authenticity of his statements.
Chivayo had previously addressed accusations of money laundering and voice messages allegedly implicating him in corrupt activities. On June 12, 2024, he categorically denied the authenticity of the voice messages, attributing them to sophisticated technology and accusing two individuals, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, of orchestrating the attacks. He stated:
“I categorically refute, deny, and dismiss with contempt, recording the voice messages in question. For the avoidance of any doubt, I have never, at any material time, recorded the alleged voice messages, neither have I transmitted such to anyone. I therefore unequivocally distance and totally dissociate myself from these unauthentic voice messages. I have reason to believe that these recordings were generated through sophisticated technology, all with the fraudulent intention of creating false alarm and despondency.”
Chivayo’s mixed statements have only deepened the controversy surrounding him, leaving the public and authorities to sift through the contradictions. As the situation unfolds, the implications of financing terrorism and its potential to legally remove Mnangagwa from power remain a critical focal point. The credibility of Chivayo’s claims and the legal consequences for Mnangagwa’s administration are now under intense scrutiny, with the potential for significant political upheaval.