HARARE – After their benefactor, controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo, was barred from entering State House where he allegedly attempted to gatecrash a meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, some ZANU PF activists have gone into overdrive to defend him and spin the embarrassment into a misunderstanding.
The incident, first reported by NewsHawks, has reportedly rattled Chivayo’s inner circle, with loyalists like Cleopas Mukungunugwa taking to social media to dismiss the scandal as “misinformation.” In his lengthy defence, Mukungunugwa insisted Chivayo was at State House on “legitimate business” and not for a “photo opportunity” with Dangote, claiming the event’s details were confidential and wrongly portrayed by the media.
Mukungunugwa described Chivayo as a “preeminent businessman” whose engagements are often high-level and private, arguing that the absence of a photo with Dangote “proves nothing” since billion-dollar deals “are not sealed for the flash of a camera.” He further denied that Chivayo “gatecrashed” the event, attributing any access confusion to “administrative miscommunication” common in high-security environments.
Responding to claims that Chivayo was carrying a “brown envelope” during the incident, Mukungunugwa dismissed the allegation as “cynical and libellous,” asserting that “businessmen of his calibre carry important documents.” He also praised Chivayo’s philanthropy and social media transparency, claiming that his success “speaks for itself” and does not rely on publicity stunts.
Despite the spirited defence, political observers say the episode underscores the growing unease around Chivayo’s proximity to the corridors of power and his perceived attempts to project influence. The NewsHawks report maintains that Chivayo was denied entry and left the venue visibly dejected, an embarrassing moment for a man who has built much of his public persona on his close ties to President Mnangagwa’s administration.
