Wicknell Chivayo Explains Why He Won’t Renovate 1962 Family Homestead
Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has pushed back against criticism over the condition of his rural homestead, saying he has deliberately chosen not to renovate the property because of its deep sentimental value to his family.
The remarks came after some social media users questioned why the structures at his rural home had not been modernised despite his widely publicised wealth.
“A Museum of Our Childhood”
Responding on Facebook, Chivayo said the houses on the property date back to 1962 when his grandfather purchased the farm with cash, making the structures an important part of the family’s history.
According to Chivayo, altering or replacing the buildings would erase cherished memories tied to his upbringing.
“
….I need you bunch of idiots to understand the way I reason. These houses and structures you see were built in 1962 when my Grandfather bought this 400 hectares farm for cash. Uku hakusi ku ruzevha kunenge kwenyu kweku pihwa na MAMBO. These houses have so much sentimental value they are like a museum and changing their set up or renovating them too much will erase PRICELESS MEMORIES of how we grew up.”
Memories Linked to Family Home
Chivayo shared personal memories of growing up at the homestead, including sleeping in the kitchen with his grandmother and siblings during his childhood.
He said demolishing such structures to replace them with modern facilities would make little sense to him.
“For an example the kitchen i said ya MAI FARAI , in 1992 I used to sleep on the floor na Mbuya vangu pa side and my other little brother CLEVER and sister PATIENCE. To break down this kitchen and build a STATE OF THE ART kitchen would be nothing more than STUPID…”
He added that simply entering the kitchen brings back memories of conversations with his grandmother and the hopes he once shared with her as a child.
Investment in the Farm
While defending the original structures, Chivayo also highlighted investments he said he has made at the property.
He said a three-metre perimeter fence with a concrete foundation around the entire farm cost about US$280,000, while farming equipment for his two brothers living there cost US$120,000 each. He also said the brothers received two trucks valued at about US$40,000 each.
Chivayo stressed that his decision not to renovate the houses should not be mistaken for a lack of resources, noting that he owns a luxury residence in Harare.
“Ini ku HARARE ndi nayo hangu imba yakanaka ye 7 million USD iri pa 14 hectares …… ENOUGH SAID siyanai ne kumusha kwedu…,” he said.
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The post ‘They are Like a Museum’: Wicknell Chivayo Explains Why He Won’t Renovate 1962 Family Homestead appeared first on iHarare News.
