DAGGERS are out for ex-con tenderpreneur, Wicknell Chivayo, who has lately hogged the limelight for a string of explosive leaked audios in which he claims to have captured President Emmerson Mnangagwa allowing him favours to get government tenders.
Incensed by the continuing influence-peddling by Chivayo, who has been hanging around Mnangagwa at public events, the ruling Zanu PF's Youth League (YL) has ordered the shadowy businessman to stop denigrating its leader.
In the leaked recordings, Chivayo throws around the President's name to give himself the impression of an "untouchable man on a meritorious rise, now 20 times richer than before."
In a terse public statement issued Wednesday, Zanu PF Youth League secretary for information and publicity, Phillipa Mukoko said audios widely circulated on social media allegedly quoting Chivayo indicating that he is in full control of the government are unfortunate, regrettable and mischievous.
"The Youth League has noted with concern the malicious, unfounded and scandalous utterances by Mr Wicknell Chivayo widely circulated in the social media. His mischievous claims purporting to be very close to His Excellency, the President Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa are unfortunate and regrettable.
"Whilst the Youth League appreciates donations that Mr Chivayo has been giving to members of our society in his own capacity as an ordinary citizen, and, although we do not know the source of his income, let it be firmly known that as the vanguard of Zanu PF, we will not just sit and watch the name of our most revered leader being tarnished by such malcontents for their own self-aggrandisement," said Mukoko.
The youth leaders expressed disgust at Chivayo's abuse of Mnangagwa's open-door policy.
"We have realised that Mr Wicknell Chivayo has abused his access to the leadership. Let it be known by whoever concerned that our tried and tested leader is a statesman of the highest calibre, integrity, standing and repute."
In no uncertain terms, the Youth League warned motor-mouth Chivayo to desist from name-dropping to gain financial and political mileage.
"The YL, therefore, calls upon Mr Chivayo and his accomplices to desist from using the name of our President in their nefarious shenanigans."
They also urged relevant authorities to take immediate measures to stop him from making further claims noting that this is designed "to protect our revered leader and the national interests of our motherland, Zimbabwe."
Chivayo has been further warned to stay away from ruling party politics and to stop circulating a video in which he claims to have almost the status of a president.
"We sternly warn him to abstain from abusing Party and Government structures for his brute personal agenda ... The League wishes to put it on record that Mr Chivhayo does not hold any influential position in the Party that warrant him to have a delegation receiving him at the airport. Such an arrangement is a preserve for the President and Head of State only."
The Youth League claims that Chivayo posted a video purporting that he was received amid pomp and fanfare at the Joshua Nkomo International Airport recently together with Mnangagwa and some senior government officials.
In a rebuttal to claims he has captured Mnangagwa and the entire governmental system, Chivayo disassociates himself from the leaked audios.
"It has been brought to my attention that there are voice messages purportedly being attributed to me which are circulating on various social media platforms. In these 'voice notes,' I am alleged to have either communicated the impression that I wield certain influence over particular authorities of the State or that I intended to facilitate the making of certain payments to named individuals.
"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," said Chivayo.
He, however, acknowledges the content and character of the alleged voice messages are consistent with a sustained attack on his character and standing as a businessman by two of his disgruntled business associates, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu.
"These two failed, struggling briefcase businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu are merely overzealous extortionists and fraudsters who solely rely on opportunistic delinquency as a means of survival. If their demands for payment were indeed genuine, the duo should have approached the courts of law for redress.
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"No amount of intimidation, coercion or duress will ever result in the unlawful making of payments that are not due or payable by me. I am fully prepared for any litigation or other consequence arising from demands by these two which are entirely premised on non-existent, fallacious, unlawful and extortionate grounds."
Chivayo denies he ever entered a lucrative US$40 million deal with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for the supply of poll materials.
"I further place on record that I have not, whether personally or through any of my companies, been a party to a contract with the ZEC, Department of Immigration or the Zimbabwe Republic Police as insinuated in the manufactured voice messages. These government entities are available to confirm this position.
"The fake voice messages, coupled with previously circulated fraudulent documents on the same subject, are cluttered with political innuendos and undertones.
"The shadowy intention of these despicable claims is to discredit and soil the image of His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa, the First Family and the legitimacy of the Second Republic after its resounding victory in the August 2023 harmonised elections," said Chivayo in his defence.
