Chivayo was my friend – Mnangagwa

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the late businessman Wicknell Chivayo as his friend, in sharp contrast to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who viewed Chivayo as an unscrupulous business mogul and named him in a corruption dossier tabled before a Zanu PF politburo meeting in September last year.

Chivayo died alongside his wife, Lucy (nee Muteke), and three others in a Bell 430 helicopter crash Wednesday afternoon at Kudenga Farm in Marondera as they travelled from their rural home in Gandami, Chikomba, in Mashonaland East, to Harare.

Mnangagwa visited the Chivayo family home in Gletwin Park, Harare, last night to offer his condolences. He told mourners that the deceased was his friend.

“I’m deeply troubled that even though he was young, he was my friend as the President. We had a good time as friends but not knowing that your friend’s days are numbered,” Mnangagwa said.

“We don’t know who is next,” he added.

Mnangagwa said the loss was personal to him and to the party, Zanu PF and noted that death is a path everyone must travel and urged the family to mourn with hope.

A day before, while addressing a Zanu PF Central Committee meeting in Harare, Mnangagwa spoke warmly of Chivayo’s charitable work.

He said the Chivayo family had made major contributions to communities across Zimbabwe.

“Consummately philanthropic, the Chivayo family touched so many lives in our nation through their countless acts of charity and generosity, which ran into millions of dollars, and which motivated and transformed countless lives,” Mnangagwa said.

He added that the family’s generosity reached people in politics, religion, public service, culture, sport and many other professions.

The President said he was personally aware of the many plans Chivayo had for the country, particularly for the less privileged and war veterans.

“I am personally aware of numerous plans he had for our nation and our people, principally the less privileged ones and our war veterans,” Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa has previously defended Chivayo’s philanthropic work as life-changing. He said he could not dictate how the controversial ‘tenderpreneur’ used his money.

Chivayo was rumoured long back to be Mnangagwa’s runner after questions were raised about Chivayo’s source of wealth, which he often flashed in public alongside gifts of top-of-the-range vehicles and cash running into thousands and millions.

Mnangagwa then said Chivayo was doing a prudent charity work, and he could not stand in his way to dictate how he should have used his money.

Chivayo, who has since been declared a provincial hero, had his body severed in the crash. Gory images were left at Kudenga Farm, and his remains and those of his wife and others laid in the open overnight for 18 hours before being retrieved to Marondera mortuary.

Police said investigations are underway to establish exactly what happened.

Chivayo’s death has drawn mixed reactions across Zimbabwe and Africa at large.

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