Bulawayo – 11 June 2025
By Dorrothy Moyo | Flamboyant businessman and political benefactor Wicknell Chivayo has once again made headlines, this time after announcing a jaw-dropping US$1 million sponsorship deal for Highlanders Football Club — Zimbabwe’s second-most supported football team. But while fans celebrate, serious questions are being raised about the source and legitimacy of the funds behind the dramatic gesture.
Chivayo, who has faced repeated accusations of tender fraud, money laundering, and illicit enrichment, declared on Facebook this week that his love for Bosso — and a family promise to the late Vice President John Landa Nkomo — had inspired him to bankroll the club’s revival. He stated that US$250,000 has already been disbursed in cash as the first tranche of his sponsorship pledge.
“It is my greatest pleasure to avail US$250,000 in cash as part of a broader US$1 million sponsorship package to help preserve Highlanders’ history and shape its future,” wrote Chivayo.
But Where Is the Money Coming From?
While fans danced in the streets of Bulawayo and #BossoNgenkani trended online, economists and governance watchdogs have sounded the alarm.
“It’s irresponsible for any major institution — let alone a century-old football club — to accept large sums of cash without demanding audited proof of source,” said one anti-corruption analyst, Terrence Dube.
“Given Chivayo’s ongoing public controversies and links to state procurement scandals, this sponsorship risks laundering not only money but also public perception,” he added.
The Ministry of Finance recently came under fire for disbursing over US$4.2 million to a company linked to Chivayo’s business circle, Betterbrands Petroleum. That transaction, exposed via a leaked Treasury letter, sparked public outrage over alleged abuse of public funds routed through the National Budget.
The timing of the Highlanders deal — mere weeks after that revelation — has raised eyebrows. Critics argue that diverting illicit funds into popular causes is a classic soft-power strategy used by politically connected elites to sanitise their reputations and entrench influence in civil society.
Chivayo’s “Curator” and the John Landa Nkomo Connection
In a move to deflect accountability concerns, Chivayo has appointed Jabulani Nkomo, a family relative and Bulawayo businessman, to oversee the use of the funds at Highlanders. Chivayo says Nkomo will serve as a curator, ensuring compliance with the club’s budget and that “every dollar benefits the players and administrators.”
But observers note that the lack of a formal trust fund, third-party audits, or ZIFA oversight renders the arrangement vulnerable to abuse.
“There’s no framework. No audit trail. And this is the same man who previously failed to deliver on the Gwanda solar project after receiving US$5 million. Are we seriously trusting him again — with cash, and with our national football legacy?” asked one prominent supporter-turned-critic.
A Club Between Gratitude and Governance
Highlanders FC, founded in 1926 by the grandsons of King Lobengula, is one of Zimbabwe’s most revered institutions. The move has put the club in a difficult position — caught between welcoming a much-needed financial injection, and protecting its name from potential reputational harm.
ZIFA, the Premier Soccer League (PSL), and Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) have yet to comment on whether they have been consulted or have oversight over the arrangement.
As supporters chant “Bosso Ngenkani” and welcome the prospect of a title-challenging squad, the unanswered question remains: Is this football funding — or political theatre funded by the ghosts of stolen tenders?
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DEVELOPING: Investigations into the origin of the funds and Chivayo’s business dealings continue.