I take Ruto as a father: Zimbabwe 'Mr Moneybags' defends meeting

President William Ruto and Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo during a past meeting. [Courtesy]

In a continent where business, faith, and geopolitics increasingly intersect, few figures embody this convergence as vividly as Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo. In an exclusive interview, Chivayo tells Brian Ngugi the foundations of a business portfolio he says exceeds half a billion dollars, spanning renewable energy, infrastructure, and logistics across at least five African nations. He discusses his ambition to become Zimbabwe’s first “young billionaire”, and his growing footprint in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, that has drawn interest.

Question: Briefly share your background and what you consider the foundation of your business career.

Answer: I was born and raised in a humble family in Chivhu, Zimbabwe. I lost my father at the age of 10. My mother, who died in 2021, was my pillar of strength. Due to financial constraints, I had to leave school early to work. I started as a wages clerk for a bus company at just 17, which taught me the value of money and business from a young age. Those difficulties propelled my hunger for success.

That difficult period led me to the Johane Masowe Chishanu Apostolic Church, where I found my faith and a new purpose. I learnt that the greatest principle is love, and that life without faith is empty. I rebuilt my life with prayer and determination. I ventured into business, and I found my calling in renewable energy and public infrastructure development.

You have publicly expressed your ambition to become Zimbabwe’s first billionaire. What’s your net worth?

A: That mission is irreversible. Although I have not yet reached the billion-dollar milestone, I believe that with faith, hard work and full exploitation of the opportunities in Africa, it is achievable. While I don’t discuss specific financial figures, the growth and scope of my ventures speak for themselves. I am at least past the half-billion-dollar mark.

I am focused on expanding the large-scale energy and infrastructure projects that form the core of my business.

President William Ruto and Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo during a past meeting. [Courtesy]

What are the business sectors and ventures that form the pillars of your wealth?

A: The main pillars of my wealth are built on large-scale renewable energy projects and public infrastructure development. This is where my passion lies and I have dedicated most of my efforts towards it. Through my various companies, we have secured projects for solar power plants, hydroelectric power generation and similar critical national projects.

Beyond energy, I have diversified into supporting sectors like petroleum supply, cross-border logistics and real estate. These businesses are interconnected and together, they form an ecosystem that drives growth and supports my vision for contributing to Africa’s infrastructure transformation. We run a portfolio of projects worth over half a billion dollars in various countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa. We are looking to expand to Kenya and Uganda.

You recently posted photos with Kenya’s President William Ruto. How would you describe your relationship with him and the nature of your engagements in Kenya?

Chivayo: My relationship with His Excellency President William Ruto is one of mutual respect between a businessman and a Head of State, whom I now take as a father, owing to his wisdom and guidance on various issues of mutual interest. We have engaged in discussions around investment opportunities, particularly in renewable energy and infrastructure development, which are my areas of expertise and passion. When exploring significant ventures in any country, it is essential to understand the leadership’s vision and policy direction.

My engagements in Kenya are therefore strictly commercial and at this stage, still preliminary. I am there as an investor looking to see where my business model can contribute to Kenya’s economic growth, in line with the Government’s economic blueprint. It is about identifying mutually beneficial partnerships that can support the country’s growth, just as I seek to do in other nations across the continent.

These interactions are consistent with my business footprint across Africa, where I engage with the political leadership to understand economic policies and the business environment. As a businessman of international repute, my duty is to explore where private-sector capital can support national agendas. My presence in Kenya is therefore an extension of this principle, seeking to foster bilateral trade through concrete projects, not political activity.

You have been photographed with several African heads of state. How have you been able to cultivate such high-level access across the continent?

Chivayo: My access to various Heads of State is a natural result of the scale of the business I am involved in. When you are proposing multi-million dollar energy and infrastructure projects that impact a nation’s future, it is necessary and responsible to engage with the highest leadership. My business proposals must therefore align with each Country’s national development strategies.

My courtesy visits to various Heads of State are meant to obtain a personal understanding of each country’s economic priorities and regulatory frameworks, which is crucial for cross-border business. I see myself contributing to continental development by promoting African solutions and strengthening intra-African trade. My engagements with leaders like President Museveni and President Suluhu are driven by this mandate to partner in driving industrialisation and the economic modernisation of Africa.

Some critics have suggested that your closeness to Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU-PF, has resulted in preferential treatment in the awarding of government contracts. How do you respond?

Chivayo: These claims are entirely false and not based upon any facts. Firstly, it is my constitutional right to belong to a political party of my choice. I have openly expressed my support for the ruling party in Zimbabwe and I am a proud supporter of ZANU-PF. It is not a crime. Secondly, supporting the ruling party is not an automatic card for any preferential treatment. Our President is on record criticising anyone who attempts to use his or her membership in the Party to gain any preferential treatment. I am not an exception.

My companies win Government contracts through competitive bidding and tender processes and by partnering with experienced engineering companies. The narrative of preferential treatment is a political tool used mostly by those in the opposition parties who normally criticise everything.

My support for ZANU-PF is a personal and patriotic choice, separate from my business dealings. I believe in supporting the National leadership. For the record, my business success is built on hard work, prayer, and a capacity to deliver complex projects. To reduce that to a mere political connection is to dismiss the years of hard work and divine grace that have brought me where I am today.

You once mentioned that your philanthropic work was foretold by a prophecy. Could you elaborate?

Chivayo: My philanthropic work was indeed foretold by a prophetic revelation back in 1994... a prophet foretold that there shall rise a young man from the church, who will change the fortunes of the church... I believe that through the grace of God, prophecy is being fulfilled through me... This is why I give openly and generously.

As you expand your connections and activities beyond Zimbabwe, how do you respond to suggestions that these relationships could be leveraged for unfair business advantages?

Chivayo: I would respond that these suggestions misunderstand the true nature of international business. My interests, which now expand across Africa, are driven by identifiable opportunities in energy and infrastructure. Engaging with Presidents and Ministers is a standard part of securing large-scale development projects anywhere in the world. It is about alignment, not taking advantage.

My business advantages come from my expertise, my network of technical partners and my ability to finance and execute projects. I operate strictly within the laws of every country I enter. The notion that these relationships are for unfair gain is a cynical view that ignores the legitimate and transformative nature of the projects I pursue.

Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo travelling in a private jet. [Courtesy]

As I mentioned earlier, before any major investment is made in any project, it is responsible practice to engage leadership to understand the regulatory environment and investment protocols in that Country. This is the sole motivation. The perception around unfair business advantages is speculative and, honestly, quite laughable, actually.

Your public displays of wealth—including distributing luxury cars and cash—have attracted both admiration and controversy. Does this criticism concern you?

Chivayo: I believe in sharing God’s blessings openly and joyfully. I came from having nothing, so I understand the immediate impact a car or cash can have on a person’s life. Does the criticism concern me? Not when I see the happiness and joy it brings to people and how often those I help always say, “Firstly, I want to thank God for this opportunity……” If what I do gratifies God, I have every reason to do it wholeheartedly. It doesn’t matter if other people perceive it as flaunting wealth.

Some may call it flamboyant, but I see it as my daily testimony and reminder of where God took me from. My faith teaches me that God loves a cheerful giver. If my public gestures inspire others to be generous or bring hope, then the controversy is a small price to pay. I am accountable to God for my actions, and He has blessed this path of open-hearted giving.

Giving people cars or money are an extension of my philosophy that wealth is for uplifting communities. While some admire and others criticize, the results remain being that lives are being transformed through love.

You have been investigated and cleared in several high-profile cases. Do you see these outcomes as full vindication?

Chivayo: Definitely, I see these outcomes as absolute vindication. They prove that all the allegations made against me were baseless and politically motivated. It is normal for any young, promising businessperson to face tumped-up charges. Being cleared, especially by institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission and Interpol, validates that I have conducted my business lawfully in and out of Zimbabwe.

These experiences have shaped me to be even more meticulous and resilient. They have strengthened my faith and my resolve to continue my work without fear. I operate with the confidence of a man who has been tested by the courts and found to be honest. It allows me to focus on building and giving back, free from the shadow of those false claims.

How much have you spent on donations recently? Critics say the donations could be a conduit for money laundering. What is your response?

Chivayo: Over the last three years, I have publicly given away an estimated $100 million (Sh13 billion) in cash, cars, and other gifts to churches, artists, sports, and people in desperate need. This is a fulfilment of my faith and a personal commitment to share the wealth God has entrusted to me.

To call this level of philanthropy “money laundering” is not only false but totally absurd. Money laundering seeks to hide wealth, but I publicly announce my donations for all to see. The funds come from legitimate business income from energy and infrastructure contracts. This allegation is a desperate attempt by critics to stain the good that is being done, and it holds no weight against the reality of the lives that have been changed through my charitable work.

The allegation is therefore purely illogical and a cynical attempt to tarnish genuine charity. I give because it is the moral duty of every patriotic Zimbabwean to do so, and I will not let baseless accusations silence the responsibility I have to uplift others.