ZIMBABWEANS are celebrating and not pretending to care about the death of controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo.
His passing has dominated social media, bars, public transport, and homes, but very few are sending condolences.
Chivayo, a larger-than-life character who bragged about his bank balance almost daily, died after his helicopter crashed in Marondera, 75km north-east of Harare.
Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, his wife, also perished in the accident.
“Which mourning we are celebrating,” commented Wonderson Julius after State media said Zimbabweans had been plunged into mourning.
His comment was not the only one. Hundreds, if not thousands more, have expressed the same sentiments.
“There’s a saying in Shona: “Mabasa ako anokutevera.”
“What you’re seeing now is just someone’s work following them not lack of Ubuntu.
“Patinoti leaders look out for your legacy, this is what we mean. We are all going to die, therefore let’s live remembering this,” said Pablo Chimusoro.
Social media users on X took turns at Chivayo, who called himself Mukuru Wemazuva (The Ancient of Days), a name the Holy Bible uses to refer to God.
“The last time I saw people celebrate a downfall this hard was when they killed King Joffrey in Game of Thrones,” said one Tjenesani on X.
Zimbabweans celebrating his passing are pointing to how he spent millions on mostly Zanu PF-affiliated public figures and ignored the plight of the poor under the guise of “spending my money how I like.”
His money, they say, was theirs as they believe he was benefiting from Zimbabwe’s corrupt tender system.
Chivayo dies before completing the Gwanda Solar Project, a tender he won over 20 years ago but failed to get off the ground.
