Revelations from Wicknell Chivayo have brought to light a corruption scandal involving a US$40 million tender with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). Chivayo disclosed how the payments from this deal were distributed, naming prominent figures such as Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya, ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, and Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) Director-General Isaac Moyo.
According to Chivayo, funds were transferred to Better Brands Security (Pty) Ltd in South Africa and then shared among various individuals. Chivayo himself received US$150,000, while Chigumba got US$100,000. In a leaked audio, Chivayo explained that the first phase of the tender, worth about US$20 million, involved inflated invoices to cover rewards and bribes. He accused Moses Mpofu of indiscretion, which led to internal conflicts and threats from other dissatisfied parties. This fallout resulted in Chivayo excluding Mpofu and Mike Chimombe from future deals, despite their claims to larger shares.
The tender, intended for acquiring voter registration kits for Zimbabwe’s disputed 2023 elections, involved high-level officials, including Chigumba and CIO’s Moyo, to ensure the deal’s approval. This scandal highlights deep-rooted corruption and the manipulation of state contracts for personal gain, with Chivayo bragging about his influential connections and future schemes to exploit other tenders.
