Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his ex-wife, Sonja Madzikanda, have denied allegations that they acquired Kenyan passports for their children, amid a swelling scandal involving alleged identity fraud and corruption.
Speaking exclusively to ZimEye late Monday, Sonja dismissed circulating video evidence showing her recent travel across Kenya, along with passport details of two minors bearing Kenyan identities.
“Don’t let social media misguide you,” Madzikanda urged. “Why would my kids have Kenyan passports?” she asked, visibly emotional as she attempted to debunk the claims.
The denial came hours after geo-tagged footage emerged showing Sonja moving between locations in Nairobi and Nakuru. Itinerary and video revealed two children’s Kenyan passports, complete with names, photos, and travel logs. While the birth dates on the documents suggest older children, sources say the faces on the passports unmistakably match the Chivayo children.
Contacted for comment, Wicknell Chivayo lashed out at the media, branding the claims “very stupid” and accusing journalists of manufacturing lies. “You’ve run out of lies to report,” he said dismissively.
The controversy is unfolding as Zimbabwean anti-corruption campaigner Blessed Geza has publicly called for Chivayo’s arrest. The businessman’s murky dealings linked to a multi-million-dollar 2015 electricity supply tender, is labelled as just one of many scandals involving state contracts and offshore networks.
Insiders believe Chivayo may be plotting to take refuge in Kenya, where he has been frequently spotted since the beginning of the year—including during informal meetups with Kenyan President William Ruto. His increased travel coincides with the sanctioning of Kamlesh Pattni, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s long-time business ally in Nairobi, over money laundering activities.
Leaked passport records list Chivayo’s son John under the new name “Jubilant Pkalya Longurasia,” and his daughter Manana as “Victoria Chepoghisio Longurasia”—both identities tied to active Kenyan travel documents.
Chivayo is currently the subject of a USD $1 million international bounty, declared by whistleblowers seeking his arrest—dead or alive. He is also accused of playing a central role in a regional election rigging network linked to former Zambian president Edgar Lungu and others.
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