Chivhayo barred from Dangote State House meeting

Prominent and flamboyant ex-convict tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo gatecrashed State House in Harare yesterday in a desperate bid to attend the meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote to sign a US$1 billion investment deal, but was barred from the event.

The incident left Mnangagwa’s security and protocol teams fretting, and those attending the event bewildered.
Chivayo had lied to his hangers-on that he was going to meet Dangote to sign a mega deal and officials were waiting for him at State House.
His social media hacks started posting false stories about the issue, with the narrative that he had an appointment with Mnangagwa and Dangote.
Chivayo used that false claim to worm his way into State House to try to gatecrash the meeting for a photo opportunity as there was no business deal between him and Dangote.
Before that, Chivayo had begged state officials and organisers to attend the event, but was rebuffed.
Apart from Mnangagwa and Dangote, the meeting was attended by cabinet ministers, government officials and business executives.
Chivayo, who has expressed public ambitions to be a billionaire and always hobnobs with Presidents in Africa and rich people whenever he gets a chance, stormed State House – uninvited – and tried to gatecrash the meeting, but was stopped dead in his tracks by Mnangagwa’s aides, including his son Sean, who is part of the close security unit, and turned away.
“It was drama; a spectacle. Chivayo was not invited to the meeting. He had spent some time trying to convince the President’s protocol and security teams that he should be allowed to attend the Dangote meeting. He begged them for days, but all in vain.
He badly wanted to see Dangote and pitch his quick-buck schemes, but, as usual, he had also seen a big photo opportunity for himself.
So he contrived to deceive or scam his hangers-on and state officials.
All he wanted was to get a photo with Dangote to enhance his status and in the process scam people that he is signing deals with the richest man in Africa, wealthiest black person in the world.
Chivayo likes Dangote, but for his own interests.
Yes, he truly admires him, but the difference is that one is a genuine businessman, while the other is a tenderpreneur.
Their business models, values and ambitions are so different, and not aligned at all.
One is building generational wealth, while the other one is looking for tenders, fame and flamboyance for temporary gratification,” a senior government official who attended the meeting told The NewsHawks.
“Chivayo’s plan this time failed. He had plotted this after failing to get invited to the meeting. Under false pretences, he then negotiated his way at the gate into State House, which is a security breach I’m told, and tried to force his way into the meeting, but he was stopped.
He was told it was not possible to attend because he was not invited. His attempt to name-drop the President was promptly and curtly rejected. He was told to go away, so he was embarrassed and humiliated.”
Journalists covering the event say they saw Chivayo walking towards State House offices after parking his car.
“I saw him walking from his car coming to State House offices where we were, carrying a brown envelope and thought he had been invited last minute, but it soon became clear he was trying to gatecrash the meeting.
This reminds me of the way he manoeuvred to take a photo with Kenyan President William Ruto at Trade Fair in Bulawayo last year. Out of that deft move, he has now become Ruto’s friend and has got business opportunities in Kenya.
That is his business model – infleunce-peddling; hence he has met many Presidents in the region, among them those from Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Nigeria and Malawi, among others.
But this time it failed. It was really embarrassing. After the drama, he walked away with his tail between his legs.”