Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo yesterday pleaded for mercy from the state media after the Herald paper published a number of articles exposing how the Zimbabwe Power Company unprocedurally paid him $5 million for the 100-Megawatt Gwanda solar project.
ZPC, reportedly at the instigation of Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Samuel Undenge, paid the money for pre-commencement works on the project without Chivayo’s Intratek Zimbabwe (the contractor) submitting a bank guarantee to safeguard public funds.
ZPC currently does not have a mechanism in place to recover the money in the event Intratek Zimbabwe defaults on the $200 million contract.
Dr Undenge and Zesa chief executive Engineer Josh Chifamba have conceded bungling, which was done without the knowledge of the ZPC board.
Chivayo, who also admitted his inability to raise a bank guarantee, yesterday sent WhatsApp messages to this reporter saying he was tired of appearing in the press every day and called for what he called “ceasefire”.
“China Exim (Bank) is calling, Bank of China is calling, they have Google alerts, they are reading your articles everyday,” he said.
“It is detrimental to the project. It is now looking as though the one million (dollars) I poured into ZIFA was from ZPC when in actual fact they were my small savings. I understand that but I am saying you win. You have made a point. We sincerely apologise to you for not submitting the guarantee as you expected. That oversight will be corrected in future, CEASEFIRE.”
He went on: “You cannot write the same story 20 times. I give you all the credit you deserve. I just won another small tender for $35 million in Zambia. I can’t even celebrate, you have haunted me. My phone is blowing up every morning. It is 12 o’clock (noon) and I am sitting in the sun at home. I hope that makes you happy that you have stressed a millionaire.”
Chivayo said The Herald needed to appreciate that he was putting $1 million from his pocket towards pre-commencement works.
“Your articles suggest that I have been paid and disappeared,” he said.
“(ZPC) management are not stupid. You are dealing with experienced technocrats. Regardless of all the ex-convict headlines you might overemphasise, they can see for themselves that this guy knows what he is doing.
“Right from the tender submission, my presentation was impeccable so at times common sense applies. You are ruthless. We are all Zimbabweans. Be patriotic and watch the project success, which is inevitable. You are making the business environment difficult. It’s bad enough, we have serious sovereign risk which makes it extremely difficult to access lines of credit. You are making it worse. The person who will suffer is the ordinary Zimbabwean.”
Added Chivayo: “You are well paid and I am going to be rich forever – contracts or no contracts. Who are you punishing? I have gone through three ministers on this project and not on one instance did I ever need a favour from them. You work for a State paper, but you are attacking an innocent Minister every single day.”
When told that the problem was not with the award of the tender but a bank guarantee as security, Chivayo responded: “You are stubborn. I have been texting you (for) 30 minutes and your response is the same—you didn’t submit a bond.
“You would make a good lawyer, you are wasting talent. There is no room for growth in journalism and I think that’s why most of you are malicious. Your dream is possibly to be the Editor one day and never to have a million dollars in your bank account, let alone owning your own newspaper. Look beyond journalism. I just disregard personal attacks on one person out of an estimated 13 million Zimbabweans. I had a million dollars when I was 23 years. You can make a million dollars. It’s dot difficult at all. Just that your first is always the hardest. To make you happy from now on, I will submit bonds. Having said that, I hope and pray you will find it in your heart to forgive me for not submitting the bond as stipulated by the contract.”
Chivayo also took time to speak about his past criminal record as well as his support for the Zimbabwe national soccer team.
“We win (sic) 2-nil yesterday and are going to destroy Malawi on Sunday,” he said.
“My players are stressed I could wake up withdrawing my support. I could see them sympathising with me yesterday. For the record, being an ex-convict is not the end of the world. As a Zimbabwean you must celebrate, I will never ever have to commit crime in my life. Zimbabwe Prison Service slogan says for ‘the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into the society’. In America they call it correctional facilities meaning you are being corrected and taught the right things in life. I am a devoted Christian and success is inevitable for me because I believe so with every fibre of my being. This is God’s plan not mine, my brother.”
ZPC management has accused Dr Undenge of pressuring them to make the payment but the Minister denies any wrong doing.
Dr Undenge accuses ZPC officials of failing to follow laid down procedures.
21 Replies to “Wicknell Chivayo Begs for Mercy”
Comments are closed.
iyo tender ya Chivhayo ndoyabva yadii yamunoita noise nayo, guarantee yekudii kwacho.
Which bank would guarantee that money as if bank racho rine anything …. Zvimwechete … Pamberi naye Chivharo iyeye , regai apedze project mozovavata kana atadza
iyo tender ya Chivhayo ndoyabva yadii yamunoita noise nayo, guarantee yekudii kwacho.
Which bank would guarantee that money as if bank racho rine anything …. Zvimwechete … Pamberi naye Chivharo iyeye , regai apedze project mozovavata kana atadza
WICKNELL ,, DON’T TALK WHILE U EATING youngman.
WICKNELL ,, DON’T TALK WHILE U EATING youngman.
You and Gire pay back the money money
You and Gire pay back the money money
Its not an oversight my brother. It was a deliberate action (in the form of corruption). ZPC, ZPC board, the Minister and Chivhayo knew that they were corruptly awarding the tender – and turning a blind eye on prerequisites of the Tender. The Tender clearly states the prerequisites. Any oversight is not simple to explain. Any prerequisite is integral. It is not as simple as you suggest. Corruption whether by the Minister or ZPC board is a very serious act. They are entrusted to oversee the public purse and any OVERSIGHT is not justifiable. You just have to resign as that is a sign of incompetence (if not corruption or both). This is not the first Tender that they have administered. It is part of their every day (routine) work. They know the expectations. And justifiably so, oversight in this case can only be explained as intentional mischief.
Its not an oversight my brother. It was a deliberate action (in the form of corruption). ZPC, ZPC board, the Minister and Chivhayo knew that they were corruptly awarding the tender – and turning a blind eye on prerequisites of the Tender. The Tender clearly states the prerequisites. Any oversight is not simple to explain. Any prerequisite is integral. It is not as simple as you suggest. Corruption whether by the Minister or ZPC board is a very serious act. They are entrusted to oversee the public purse and any OVERSIGHT is not justifiable. You just have to resign as that is a sign of incompetence (if not corruption or both). This is not the first Tender that they have administered. It is part of their every day (routine) work. They know the expectations. And justifiably so, oversight in this case can only be explained as intentional mischief.
Why does the state play spectator to a bragging ex-con who blew up its $5 million dollars through a corrupt minister and inept ZPC management……why why why unless many hands were & are still being greased and many mouths are being financially zipped ….CORRUPTION IS REALLY A CANCER AND IN ZIMBABWE IT HAS FOUND A HOME!!!
Journos are there as an over site committee. Chivayo got a 5 million dollar advance without a guarantee thanks to undue pressure being exerted on Zesa management from the minister. If this Fat Albert cannot come up with a 5 million dollar guarantee, how can he finance a $200M dollar project. Corporate governance was subverted and Udenge must resign. The Tender itself should be revisited.
Any loss of public funds burdens the tax payer. Remember what happened with the Airport road. As we speak, government is taking over a $200M Air Zimbabwe debt accrued by a lease of two aircraft, one which has been on the ground for 2 years in Joburg?
Corruption not sanctions s are killing the country.
Journos are there as an over site committee. Chivayo got a 5 million dollar advance without a guarantee thanks to undue pressure being exerted on Zesa management from the minister. If this Fat Albert cannot come up with a 5 million dollar guarantee, how can he finance a $200M dollar project. Corporate governance was subverted and Udenge must resign. The Tender itself should be revisited.
Any loss of public funds burdens the tax payer. Remember what happened with the Airport road. As we speak, government is taking over a $200M Air Zimbabwe debt accrued by a lease of two aircraft, one which has been on the ground for 2 years in Joburg?
Corruption not sanctions s are killing the country.
You don’t get it, do you? Corruption destroys the country and the livelihoods of the future generations!
You don’t get it, do you? Corruption destroys the country and the livelihoods of the future generations!
SO WHAT IF HE IS BRAGGING ITS HIS CASH
SO WHAT IF HE IS BRAGGING ITS HIS CASH
I honestly wonder what we benefit from this negative reporting on this project and what we benefit from the personal attacks on ministers and the zpc board over a simple oversight that can be corrected within a minute. JOURNALISTS WITH PERSONAL AND DEVILISH AGENDAS
I honestly wonder what we benefit from this negative reporting on this project and what we benefit from the personal attacks on ministers and the zpc board over a simple oversight that can be corrected within a minute. JOURNALISTS WITH PERSONAL AND DEVILISH AGENDAS
Yebo Zenzele, this Chivharo has the saggy balls to brag about his ill-begotten riches or success because of his close alliance with the corrupt regime, specifically Dr. FUKU- NDE. He must realize that such riches earned through diabolic means will one day disappear like morning dew. Watch my words, sooner or laterwith the fall of the regime that propped you Chivharo. Please leave God out of your dirty works, you only serve to annoy the Angels above
Yebo Zenzele, this Chivharo has the saggy balls to brag about his ill-begotten riches or success because of his close alliance with the corrupt regime, specifically Dr. FUKU- NDE. He must realize that such riches earned through diabolic means will one day disappear like morning dew. Watch my words, sooner or laterwith the fall of the regime that propped you Chivharo. Please leave God out of your dirty works, you only serve to annoy the Angels above
Your bragging on social media doesn’t help either cde….. Very crass
Your bragging on social media doesn’t help either cde….. Very crass