Wicknell Chivayo built a public identity around giving away things most people could only dream of owning — luxury cars, large cash payments, expensive phones and even fleets of vehicles.
The Zimbabwean businessman, popularly known as “Sir Wicknell,” made philanthropy a highly visible part of his public persona, frequently announcing gifts through social media and turning beneficiaries into the subjects of viral conversations.
But his generosity also generated controversy, particularly when the recipients were politicians, religious leaders, lawyers, security officers and other influential figures.
Chivayo’s gifting continued into the final weeks of his life. On September 21, he announced that he had bought the latest iPhone 18 Pro Max for his children and 13 of their friends, writing: “Congratulations to my kids and their 13 friends… Iphone 18 pro max.”
Four days later, he announced another major giveaway — this time for members of his church.
Chivayo said he had bought 15 brand-new 2026 Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD6 vehicles, which he valued at US$1.2 million. He also promised each beneficiary US$5,000 in cash.
“Your 15 BRAND-NEW 2026 TOYOTA FORTUNERS 2.4 GD6 have arrived,” Chivayo said. He added that each recipient would receive the cash “as a token of appreciation for your commitment and service to our Church.”
The September giveaways illustrated the breadth of his philanthropy. His beneficiaries were not confined to one social group. He gave to relatives and friends, church members, pastors, lawyers, musicians, athletes and people connected to Zimbabwe’s political establishment.
Gifts to religious leaders
Religious leaders occupied a prominent place in Chivayo’s giving.
On September 22, he spent about Sh98 million on a birthday package for Prophet Uebert Angel. The package included a 2026 Rolls-Royce Ghost, US$250,000 in cash described as “birthday lunch money” and additional money for fuel. Angel’s wife, Prophetess Bebe Angel, also received a Rolls-Royce, while their son was promised a Bentley.
Angel responded with a religious blessing for the businessman, saying: “May every seed you have sown rise before God as an everlasting memorial!”
Chivayo also gifted Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa and his wife, Ruth, a 2026 Maybach in September. The gift followed a reported US$1 million donation to Makandiwa’s United Family International Church ministry.
The lawyer who rejected his gift
Perhaps the clearest example of the controversy surrounding Chivayo’s giving came when he offered prominent lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography valued at US$250,000.
Chivayo also offered US$50,000 for fuel and another US$50,000 for Uriri’s wife as a “handbag allowance.” He praised Uriri as a “LAWYER PAR EXCELLENCE” and credited him with defending him in previous legal matters.
Uriri and his wife declined the gifts.
Uriri explained that accepting them could affect perceptions of his professional independence and public confidence. He said the historical legal work Chivayo referenced “was performed in my professional capacity and paid for in full.”
Chivayo rejected suggestions that his gift represented a bribe and later insisted there was “no grudge and no drama” between him and Uriri.
Political connections
Chivayo’s gifts to people connected to Zimbabwe’s political establishment have also attracted scrutiny.
In September, he announced a US$2 million donation to 40 families of fallen national heroes as part of celebrations for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s birthday.
Chivayo described Mnangagwa as his “beloved FATHER” and said the donation was inspired by the president’s respect for liberation heroes.
The businessman has also previously given vehicles to Mnangagwa and supported institutions associated with the Zimbabwean state.
In an August 2026 interview with The Times, Chivayo defended his political relationships and rejected the suggestion that his gifts represented an attempt to buy influence.
“Supporting a political leader is entirely different from buying influence,” he said. Mnangagwa, meanwhile, defended Chivayo’s philanthropy by saying: “you can’t bother me about someone who is philanthropic.”
Chivayo also rejected claims that his relationship with Kenya’s President William Ruto was intended to secure business favours.
“I have never sought to use my relationship with President Ruto to obtain any favour, tender, undue benefit or otherwise,” he told The Times.
From church members to public figures
His giving extended far beyond prominent personalities.
Chivayo has bought vehicles for ordinary church members, musicians, footballers and people whose personal stories caught his attention. His publicised gifts have included luxury vehicles for entertainers and substantial financial support for religious institutions.
He also proposed a multi-million-dollar donation to Zimbabwean police officers involved in the investigation of an armed robbery at his in-laws’ farm. That gesture triggered an ethics debate, with critics questioning whether private rewards to law-enforcement officers could affect perceptions of institutional independence. Chivayo said the donation was intended to reward officers involved in securing convictions.
The controversy surrounding his wealth also predates his philanthropy.
Chivayo spent three years in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison after a fraud conviction linked to a black-market currency transaction, but the conviction was later quashed on appeal. His Intratrek company also became embroiled in the long-running dispute surrounding the Gwanda Solar Project. He and Intratrek were later acquitted in a criminal fraud case, while a civil court dispute over the solar contract ended with a ruling in his favour.
Chivayo consistently defended his wealth and his giving, saying his philanthropy came from his faith and personal experiences.
“My philanthropy comes fundamentally from my Apostolic faith and from my own experience of growing up without financial privilege,” he told The Times.
His gifts therefore became both a source of admiration and debate — celebrated by recipients while attracting questions about their scale, timing and the relationships surrounding them.
And even in the final days before his death, the gifting continued, with Chivayo still announcing luxury presents for children, friends, church members and prominent figures.
That final burst of generosity became the latest chapter in the public story of a businessman whose wealth was almost as closely associated with giving it away as it was with displaying it.
