OWEN GAGARE
AMID his extravagant lifestyle, characterised by splurging on luxury cars, exclusive designer fashion, and lavish accessories, as well as megalomaniac donations, Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo is buffeted by a storm over his refusal to pay US$75 000 to an American consultant he hired for his botched Starlink project.
Chivayo, who holds multi-million-dollar state contracts leveraged through high-level political and patronage networks, has recently gained attention for his cash and car donation spree totalling over US$3 million, including a Bentley to a friend and a Toyota Fortuner to Daisy Mtukudzi, widow of the late music legend Oliver Mtukudzi, recently.
However, his business partners and those who render services to him often wonder why he would make donations without first meeting his financial obligations.
Chivayo, a close associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is locked a fierce dispute with a United States consultant Frederick Griffin who provided him consultancy over the Starlink deal, but he is now refusing to pay after his plan to secure exclusive rights to partner SpaceX’s Starlink failed.
Informed sources say the plan fell through due to Starlink’s unwillingness to be railroaded into a different and shady business model.
Clashes between Chivayo and other applicants which involved Mnangagwa, his family and Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) executives also derailed the project, sources added.
Details show Mnangagwa was supporting Chivayo, which backing he expressed publicly, but one of twin sons had a competing vested interest in the project.
This sucked in First Lady Auxillia who opposed Chivayo’s bid behind the scenes. Potraz supported Auxillia, and scuttled Chivayo’s deal, sources added.
A compromise was then struck that both companies, and a third one, must be licensed, thwarting Chivayo’s plans.
Details of Chivayo’s refusal to pay Griffin and GIS emerged as part of a long investigation by The NewsHawks.
This investigation revealed that Chivayo travelled to the US in March to explore securing a Starlink deal.
This trip, along with the US$100 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) tender scandal in which he refused to pay his jailed business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu their share, has put Chivayo under heightened scrutiny.
March trip to the US
In March, Chivayo travelled to the US, seeking to enlist American influencers for his Starlink plan.
A well-informed source disclosed that Chivayo flew to Miami, Florida, after a stopover in New York, and stayed at a five-star hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach.
At an undisclosed residence in Miami, Chivayo met with representatives of music star Rick Ross and others to discuss securing exclusive rights for Starlink in Zimbabwe.
Unable to make headway, Chivayo was advised to hire a consultant, leading to his engagement with Frederick Griffin. Griffin, GIS Chief Financial Officer and President, was contacted by Chivayo’s chauffeur, Hugh Cunningham, his graduate school colleague from Nova Southeastern University.
Despite reworking Chivayo’s initial shoddy proposal and creating professional documents for the Starlink deal, Griffin remains unpaid.
Chivayo and Griffin signed an agreement on 20 May for financial advisory and business consulting services, aiming to secure an “exclusive partnership” with Starlink Services LLC, a subsidiary of SpaceX.
Griffin signed on behalf of his company, GIS Financial Group, and Chivayo as chief executive of IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd, based at his Karigamombe Centre offices where his company Intratrek is located on 18th Floor, corner Samora Machel Avenue and Julius Nyerere Street.
Chivayo initially sought to engage Tesla high-tech boss Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, whose company SpaceX owns Starlink, regarding a partnership for satellite internet services in Zimbabwe, but realised it was not directly possible to do that.
He then sought intermediaries and a consultant.
“Chivayo came to the US seeking someone to create a proposal to present to Musk regarding Starlink. He had several meetings with well-known entertainers, including prominent music rapper Rick Ross’ entourage, and their representatives, promising to pay US$20 million a month for their assistance,” Griffin told The NewsHawks.
“It was then that Chivayo’s entourage advised him to engage my services as Frederick Griffin, CFO and President of GIS Financial Group. I informed Chivayo that his initial proposal was poorly crafted and ineffective for what he wanted to accomplish with Musk, as Starlink operates as a 100% owned entity.”
Griffin, an African American, introduced Chivayo to a strategy involving the license cover agreement approach, whereby IMC Communications would first obtain licensing approvals from Potraz before providing cover to Starlink.
This arrangement aimed to allow Starlink to retain infrastructure investment responsibilities while ensuring financial benefits for IMC.
The partnership was supposed to drive high-quality internet services, economic growth, and local community empowerment in Zimbabwe.
Despite these efforts, Chivayo is refusing to pay. Griffin says this demonstrates Chivayo’s lack of business professionalism, citing his hedonistic indulgence in luxury rather than careful planning as part of the problem.
“Apart from lacking knowledge and expertise in the proposal, Chivayo does not behave like a businessman,” Griffin said. “His approach was not marked by careful planning or legitimate business acumen, but by nights of hedonism at the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach and lofty promises which he failed to deliver.”
Objective and Scope
Griffin says Chivayo sought comprehensive advisory services from his company, GIS Financial Group, to facilitate a partnership with Starlink.
The goal was to create necessary documentation for Potraz licensing approvals and structure a deal that would maximis3 benefits for his interests and the Mutapa Investment Fund, which he wanted to rope in. Griffin’s firm undertook a complete revision of the technical application and letter of intent and solely developed the business plan required for IMC to gain Potraz approval.
Griffin says: “The initial documents were so poorly written that he had to rewrite every word to meet the necessary standards.”
Agreement and Costs An agreement was signed between Chivayo, through his company IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd, based on the 18th floor of Karigamombe Centre, 53 Samora Machel, Harare, and GIS Financial Group, located at No. 4696, Plantation Oaks Boulevard, Orange Park, Florida, 32065, to provide personal advisory and business consulting services for the Zimbabwe-Starlink partnership.
The contract stipulated terms for an upfront retainer payment, aggregate fees within a consecutive 12-month period, and success fees for exceptional performance.
Despite fulfilling several key contractual obligations — including revising the letter of intent, technical application, and developing the business plan submitted to Minister of Information Communication Technology Tatenda Mavetera, which received approval — Griffin’s firm has yet to receive the upfront retainer fee, let alone payment for the aggregate fees.
“This situation is particularly concerning given the countless hours spent on research, follow-up emails, and calls to SpaceX decision-makers, in addition to the primary tasks,” Griffin said. “This breach of contract raises serious concerns about the integrity of Mr. Chivayo’s business ethics and dealings.”
Breach of Contract Despite a breach of contract and multiple attempts to resolve the issue amicably, Chivayo has not made the agreed-upon payments for the services rendered, according to documents seen by The NewsHawks.
GIS Financial Group wrote an email to POTRAZ Director-General Gift Machengete on 3 September urging intervention and mediation given the potential impact on the Starlink deal. Immediate action was requested to address the breach of contract.
Should there be no response or resolution, the firm will be compelled to file a detailed report with the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the US State Department, and the US Treasury.
“These reports will outline Mr. Chivayo’s connections to sanctioned individuals, his potential status as a Politically Exposed Person, and his involvement in corruption and financial misconduct,” the documents state.
“Filing these reports could lead to sanctions against Mr. Chivayo, his business interests, and any non-compliant associates, severely impacting their ability to conduct business internationally and potentially affecting their visa status, restricting their ability to travel to the US.”
Presidential Endorsement
Chivayo made it clear during negotiations and other engagements that he had Presidential support on this issue. However, after Machengete received the email, Chivayo’s credibility was questioned, and no sole exclusive distribution was granted to any individual or company.
Dynamics within the President’s family shattered Chivayo’s dream. One document states:
“It is particularly troubling that Mr. Chivayo leveraged the information obtained from Griffin to secure licensing approval from Potraz, while providing a meticulous strategy to navigate the requirements of Starlink, which mandates that 100% of the entity holding the license must deliver services in Zimbabwe. In his attempts to circumvent payment, he operated under the misguided belief that he could negotiate directly with Starlink. This approach ultimately resulted in a complete failure of the initiativeCurrent Developments Currently, Chivayo is attempting to downplay his financial obligations and the breach of contract involving GIS.
On 8 September, Chivayo texted Griffin, saying,
I’m told you wrote a letter to Potraz. You are a cruel destroyer trying to earn where you didn’t work. I’m worth over 100 million USD. This Starlink deal is nothing. I’m not a struggling businessman.”
Wicknell Chivayo’s message to Griffin
The US$100 million Chivayo is referring to as his net worth is the corrupt US$100 million Zec tender obtained through influence-peddling and patronage.
Griffin responded:
“Chivayo’s assertion that the services were incomplete is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts. Furthermore, he continues to boast about his influence over the President of Zimbabwe and the ruling Zanu PF party, suggesting his wealth and connections render him untouchable. This behaviour underscores the urgent need for regulatory and legal intervention to hold him accountable.”
Public Rhetoric and Reality
Had Chivayo acted in good faith and demonstrated the business acumen he claims to possess, he could have been a trailblazer in Zimbabwe, setting a precedent for the remaining African countries that have not yet approved Starlink to operate, documents say.
“Instead, Zimbabwe is left to accept whatever narrative he spins, believing he acted in their best interest and sacrificed himself for the greater good. This is far from the truth,” the documents add. Chivayo is now reposting public statements such as,
“As a country, we are pleased with the news! Wicknell Chivayo, through his business and diplomatic experience and skills, made it possible.” In another repost, he states,
“Leaders and fellow citizens should seek wisdom, guidance, and vision from Wicknell on how we can prosper as one Nation in Business, Community Empowerment, Uplifting one another, and success beyond imaginations.”
“This is a gross misrepresentation,” the documents point out.
“Chivayo’s attempts to paint himself as a visionary leader and a champion of national progress are nothing but a facade. His actions have demonstrated a blatant disregard for ethical business practices and a willingness to exploit others for personal gain. The reality is that his corrupt practices and failure to honour contractual agreements have not only jeopardised the Starlink partnership, but also tarnished the potential benefits it could have brought to Zimbabwe and other African countries.
“Additionally, it is crucial to highlight that Chivayo brazenly circumvented Mr. Griffin, arrogantly believing he could outsmart the process. After securing approval from Potraz, Chivayo dismissed Mr. Griffin’s invaluable expertise and recklessly submitted a weak and laughable proposal to Starlink.
“Unsurprisingly, this proposal was swiftly rejected. While the specifics of the proposal and the reasons for its rejection remain undisclosed, this incident starkly underscores the glaring lack of credibility and reliability in Chivayo’s business dealings. His actions reveal a disturbing pattern of arrogance and incompetence, which have not only jeopardized potential opportunities for Zimbabwe, but also exposed his true nature as a self-serving opportunist.”
