Wicknell Chivayo on Thursday secured yet another high-level political engagement on the continent, meeting Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema at State House in Lusaka. The discussion, according to both parties, centred on renewable energy opportunities, private-sector financing models and the broader need to accelerate infrastructure development across Southern Africa.
The meeting marks a significant moment for Chivayo, whose regional political access has grown remarkably in recent months despite intense scrutiny at home. In Zimbabwe, the businessman remains a polarising figure due to his close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his long-running battles over controversial government tenders. Yet his ability to secure audiences with African heads of state continues to raise eyebrows and fuel debate about his expanding influence.
In a detailed post on X shortly after the Lusaka engagement, Chivayo praised President Hichilema’s “visionary approach” to energy sector investment and regional cooperation. He said the Zambian leader highlighted the strong historical foundations that link Zimbabwe and Zambia, while also expressing a desire to deepen collaboration in areas of shared strategic interest.
“We discussed the challenges being experienced in Zambia’s energy sector, especially the suppressed power generation at Kariba North due to adverse hydrological conditions,” Chivayo wrote. “I was thoroughly impressed by President Hichilema’s appreciation of renewable energy project funding models and his commitment to partner with the private sector.”
Zambia has been grappling with energy shortages, largely driven by low water levels affecting hydroelectricity generation. This has prompted the Hichilema administration to intensify efforts to diversify the country’s energy mix, opening the door for private investors in solar, wind and other renewables. Chivayo, who has positioned himself as a rising player in Africa’s renewable energy landscape, appears keen to leverage these emerging opportunities.
President Hichilema’s meeting with Chivayo also comes ahead of his scheduled visit to Harare on Friday for the Zimbabwe-Zambia Trade and Investment Conference. The event is expected to focus on boosting bilateral investment, enhancing trade flows, and accelerating joint infrastructure projects such as energy transmission lines, logistics corridors and cross-border industrial initiatives.
Hichilema Meets Wicknell Chivayo as Energy, Investment Top Agenda
For Chivayo, this latest diplomatic exposure adds to a rapidly growing list of engagements with top African leaders. In the past year alone, he has met Kenyan President William Ruto, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Malawi’s Arthur Peter Mutharika, Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mozambique’s Daniel Chapo and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni. His international prominence has been fuelled in part by his proximity to President Mnangagwa, who has repeatedly presented him as a key private-sector partner in Zimbabwe’s power and infrastructure sectors.
However, his rise on the continental stage contrasts sharply with the scepticism he continues to face at home. Chivayo’s company, Intratrek Zimbabwe, was awarded a US$172 million contract to build a 100MW solar power plant in Gwanda nearly a decade ago. The project stalled despite ZESA advancing over US$5 million to Intratrek, sparking a series of fraud allegations. Although Chivayo was later acquitted and the High Court recently ruled in his favour—ordering ZESA to honour the contract or face damages reportedly amounting to US$25 million—the controversy remains one of the most debated public procurement sagas in Zimbabwe.
Critics argue that the collapse of the Gwanda project illustrates the risks associated with politically connected contracting. Supporters, however, claim Chivayo is being unfairly targeted and insist the project failed due to bureaucratic battles and institutional resistance. The recent court rulings have strengthened his public position, emboldening him to revive his image as a sought-after investor across African markets.
Increasingly, Chivayo is believed to be partnering with Chinese investors to drive his ambitions in renewable energy, power generation and road construction. With China playing an influential role in Africa’s infrastructure agenda, these partnerships have enhanced his competitiveness in bidding for large-scale projects.
His latest appearance at Zambia’s State House therefore underscores two contrasting narratives: a businessman steadily weaving himself into the fabric of regional investment diplomacy, and a figure whose domestic reputation remains entangled in past controversies.
As Zambia and Zimbabwe move to deepen economic ties ahead of Hichilema’s Harare visit, questions will likely persist about the role Chivayo seeks to play in shaping future cross-border energy projects. For now, his meeting with the Zambian leader stands as another sign that his regional profile—and the debates surrounding it—continues to grow.
Source- Bulawayo24
