Renowned businessman and philanthropist, Mr Wicknell Chivayo, has shed light on the origins of his wealth, attributing it to his involvement in legitimate business ventures that have spanned several years.
In recent weeks, Mr Chivayo garnered attention for his lavish gift-giving, which included cars for various individuals, including musicians and members of his apostolic sect.
While some have praised his generous nature, others have raised questions regarding the source of his affluent lifestyle.
During an interview on Capitalk 100.4FM’s Champions League Breakfast Show, Mr Chivayo addressed these inquiries, explaining that he has multiple business interests across several countries in the region, all conducted within legal frameworks.
“I have a lot of businesses in the region, in Tanzania, in South Africa, Kenya but my main business is fuel and energy, participating in mostly government tenders for engineering procurement, construction and power projects like the Gwanda Solar Project. We team up with blue chip companies from other countries like China, German,” he clarified.
Mr Chivayo attributed his success to a combination of grace and his innate ability to excel in any business endeavour.
“It is more about grace, not what kind of business that I do. Even if I start selling tomatoes, they will start getting bought at such a fast pace you’ll start asking yourself ‘how is he selling tomatoes so fast?” he revealed.
Mr Chivayo shared that his journey to prosperity began humbly as he monitored a friend of his late father’s bus fleet while still in school.
“I was not a hwindi as such but when I finished school I realised that I needed to make money. My father passed away in 1990 and one of my father’s very close friends, Robson Musanhi of Musanhi buses said why don’t you come and work for me,” Mr Chivayo recounted.
He further explained, “You can be doing school at the same time but you can be working for me. He had five or six buses at Willowvale so he said come and work for me as a wages clerk. Then I started doing his wages and going to check on his buses that were going from Mbare Musika to Mt Darwin. I was more like a supervisor but we were very close and I was more like his child.”
Mr Chivayo’s story exemplifies a rags-to-riches trajectory, showcasing his determination to succeed despite modest beginnings.
