Chivhayo Makes US$3.6 Million Independence Day Pledge to MPs, Senators

Harare -  In a dramatic Independence Day gesture, controversial businessman Wicknell Chivhayo has pledged US$3.6 million to Zimbabwe’s legislators, declaring the initiative has the blessing of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Announced on Saturday, April 18, as the nation marked its 46th Independence anniversary, the pledge promises US$10,000 for each of Zimbabwe’s 360 Members of Parliament and Senators.

The funds, to be handed over to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda next week, are earmarked for borehole drilling, water supply systems, sanitation upgrades and other critical infrastructure designed to uplift communities across the country.

Chivhayo positioned the programme as a decisive intervention to strengthen grassroots development:

“This is about empowering communities at the grassroots level and ensuring that no place and no one is left behind.”

He said the initiative is open to all legislators, regardless of political affiliation, describing it as a unifying Independence Day gesture aligned with national development priorities.

“I am extending this to every Honourable Member of Parliament and Senator, across the political divide, in support of development in our constituencies,” he said.

The announcement comes as Parliament prepares to debate the Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill, a process already stirring public debate.

While Chivhayo did not link his donation to the legislative agenda, observers have noted the timing, and underscored the importance of maintaining clear boundaries between private initiatives and public decision-making.

Chivhayo further stressed that participation is voluntary.

“If any Honourable MP is unwilling to accept this offer, they are at liberty to do so, that is their democratic right.

In such cases, I may identify a competent and development-oriented individual within the constituency to ensure the intended projects benefit the community," he said.

Civil society organisations and some opposition political parties, including the Defend the Constitution Platform, the Constitutional Defenders Forum and the National Constitutional Assembly, remain engaged in the reform process, calling for transparency and broader consultation.

Supporters of Chivhayo’s gesture argue it could significantly boost local development, particularly in underserved areas where access to basic services is limited.

Analysts, however, caution that its success will hinge on transparency, accountability and effective resource management at constituency level.