Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has publicly welcomed the decision by Zimbabwe’s anti-graft body to drop its investigation into his alleged role in a controversial US$100 million (approx. R1.8 billion) election procurement deal. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) announced on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, that it was closing the probe, citing a lack of evidence.
The investigation centred on contracts awarded to South African company Ren-Form CC by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for 2023 election materials. The deal, issued without an open tender, had been flagged by transparency advocates.
ZACC Chair Cites Lack Of Evidence
ZACC chairperson Michael Reza stated that investigators found no documentation linking Chivayo or his associates to ZEC. The probe was initiated after allegations from Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who claimed to be former partners of Chivayo in the deal.
“We went to ZEC and asked for the contracts,” Reza said, speaking on the sidelines of an International Anti-Corruption Day event in Harare. “The answer was that they don’t know these people… they have not done any business with them. We went to Chivayo, and he said the same. A contract is what links parties to a transaction – and there is no such document.”
Reza emphasised that the accusers failed to provide proof to back their claims.
“Chimombe and Mpofu have made allegations, but they have not supplied us with any information, which would link Chivayo to the commission of the alleged fraud at ZEC, so that is where we are. We have nothing to go by as things stand.”
Businessman Claims “Irreparable” Damage
In a statement following ZACC’s announcement, Chivayo said the decision brought him “immense relief” after a long period of speculation. The Intratrek Zimbabwe CEO detailed significant personal and professional consequences he attributes to the allegations.
“For nearly two years, I endured reputational damage arising from allegations which the ZACC chairperson has now rightly confirmed to be baseless, unsubstantiated and devoid of any factual basis,” Chivayo stated.
He claimed the saga caused severe financial harm.
“Regrettably, the allegations inflicted severe and irreparable consequences on my personal affairs, including substantial loss of business opportunities and adverse risk assessments by certain financial institutions such as banks.”
Chivayo expressed hope that the clarification would allow his businesses to “re-engage confidently with both local and global partners without the burden of speculation.” The allegations first surfaced after a leaked document from South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre suggested funds from Ren-Form CC flowed to companies linked to Chivayo following ZEC payments. Ren-Form has previously stated that Chivayo was acting as their agent.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
The post Chivayo Speaks After ZACC Clears Him Of Involvement In US$100 Million ZEC Election Tender appeared first on iHarare News.
