ZEC Deputy Chair Dodges Questions on Chivayo R800 Million Scandal

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The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) deputy chairperson, Rodney Kiwa, has come under fire for refusing to address allegations surrounding the controversial payment of R800 million to businessman Wicknell Chivayo in a deal involving election materials.

Kiwa, who appeared visibly uneasy during a press briefing, declined to comment on findings by South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), which revealed that Chivayo received the funds from a R1.1 billion payment made by Zimbabwe’s Treasury to South African firm Ren-Form CC. “Let’s leave that issue alone,” Kiwa said in response to repeated questions. “Ngatimbosiyana nayo. ZEC is not involved in that. It has nothing to do with us.”

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The FIC investigation, conducted between April 2023 and May 2024 uncovered grossly inflated prices in the deal. For instance, Ren-Form invoiced R23 million for a central server that typically costs R90,000, while 2,000 toilets were billed at R68,700 each, despite a retail price of around R10,000. Additionally, R156 million was paid directly to Edenbreezel, one of Chivayo’s companies, for “architectural, engineering, and other technical services.”

Despite the damning report, Kiwa maintained that ZEC would not issue a statement on the matter. His silence has sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for accountability. Legal analyst Brighton Mutebuka criticised ZEC, stating, “There is no point holding elections in Zimbabwe at this moment. ZEC is a crime scene.”

Others questioned how ZEC could deny involvement when the electoral body used the materials provided under the contract. “How can a ZEC Commissioner say it’s not their business when SA authorities confirmed that ZEC, through the Ministry of Finance, paid inflated tenders?” one user asked.

The scandal has reignited debates about transparency, public procurement, and political patronage in Zimbabwe. Although the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) previously announced an investigation into the election contracts, no updates have been provided.

As pressure mounts on ZEC and the Ministry of Finance to clarify their roles, Kiwa’s now-viral phrase, “Ngatimbosiyana nayo,” has become a symbol of government officials avoiding accountability on matters involving public funds.

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