Zimbabwe – Controversial businessman and socialite, Wicknell Chivayo, has presented Daisy Mtukudzi, widow of music legend Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, with a brand new 2024 Toyota Fortuner.
This lavish gesture, ostensibly a tribute to Tuku’s musical legacy, comes amidst simmering family tensions and accusations levelled against Daisy by Tuku’s daughters, Sandra and Selmor.
Chivayo, known for his extravagant displays of wealth, announced the gift on his social media platforms, coinciding with celebrations of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s birthday. He lauded Tuku’s musical genius, referencing iconic songs like “Hazvireve rudo handina,” “Mutserendende,” and “Right Direction,” and emphasizing their profound impact both within Zimbabwe and internationally.
“As I continue to celebrate his Excellency PRESIDENT E.D Mnangagwa’s birthday i decided to recognize the IMMENSE contribution by Dr. OLIVER “TUKU” MTUKUDZI to the music fraternity and socio-political landscape in Zimbabwe,” Chivayo posted.
He directed Daisy to collect the fully paid-for vehicle from a car dealership in Harare.
“Please go and see my brother KELVIN at Auto-Expo Car Sales on Cleveland Rd in Milton Park, opposite Prince Edward Boys High School. Your beautiful BRAND NEW 2024 TOYOTA FORTUNER 2.4D is fully paid for and ready for collection immediately. Please accept this small token of appreciation for your late husband’s significant and priceless contribution to the music industry.”
Chivayo’s timing, however, has raised eyebrows, given the recent public airing of grievances by Sandra and Selmor against their stepmother. The sisters recently spoke out about alleged mistreatment and neglect they endured during their childhood, painting a picture of a fractured family dynamic.
Selmor described the profound disappointment of being denied the opportunity to perform at Pakare Paye, her father’s arts centre, for years by Daisy.
“I was finally ready to take the stage at Pakare Paye. I had spent years asking my mother (Daisy) for permission to perform, but she always refused. So, finally getting this opportunity touched my heart deeply. The entire day was truly moving,” Selmor revealed.
Sandra corroborated Selmor’s account, accusing Daisy of hindering family unity and disregarding Tuku’s dying wish for his daughters to collaborate on family events. She cited an instance where she and other family members were excluded from an event attended by Daisy, Samantha (another of Tuku’s daughters), and Daisy’s daughter, Faith.
“The exclusion is not only about Selmor, but all of Tuku’s daughters and family members,” Sandra clarified. She also shared a particularly poignant memory from her childhood: “I would be told that I had to share the pot with the dog. We had a dog called Kwanai and while others were eating rice, I would be told that I would get my sadza from the same put as Kwanai,” she recounted.
Daisy, in a recent interview with The Herald, addressed the controversy surrounding OMIFA, stating, “At least the world has witnessed all the drama. I know people will still attack me, but what have I done to deserve this embarrassment?”
Chivayo, in his Facebook post, highlighted Tuku’s recent posthumous honour at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa, emphasizing the significance of this recognition.
“. . . So revered was your musical gift that you were posthumously honoured at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa. No other Zimbabwean has ever received such a prestigious accolade, and this bears indisputable testimony to the hero that you were and remain to be,” he wrote.
He also drew a parallel between Tuku and President Mnangagwa, stating, “As I continue to celebrate His Excellency President E.D Mnangagwa’s birthday, I decided to recognise the immense contribution made by Dr Oliver Mtukudzi to the music fraternity and the socio-political landscape of Zimbabwe. His influence extended far beyond music, profoundly shaping our nation’s cultural and social fabric. On that note, I say a big congratulations to Mrs Daisy Mtukudzi, the only official wife of the late great legend, whom I was introduced to before Tuku’s sad demise.”
He further emphasized Tuku’s national hero status, a rare honour for a musician.
“Such heroic status, bestowed upon you, confirms beyond any doubt that you were an unparalleled musical genius of your own unique class and legacy,” Chivayo wrote.
This latest act of generosity by Chivayo adds another chapter to his history of high-profile donations, which include vehicles for musicians like Jah Prayzah, Suluman Chimbetu, and Sandra Ndebele, as well as numerous vehicles promised to Zanu PF youths and members of his church.
His extravagant spending habits, including the reported purchase of four Rolls Royces, a Mercedes-Benz Maybach, and a Range Rover in 2023 alone, have often drawn both admiration and criticism. This gift to Daisy Mtukudzi, however, arrives at a particularly sensitive time, adding another layer of complexity to an already fraught family situation.
While Mnangagwa has been distributing vehicles to traditional leaders, businessman Wicknell Chivayo has been making his own high-profile car donations, primarily to musicians and Zanu PF youths.
