Into this reality steps Chivayo, who has built a reputation as a flamboyant “philanthropist” with a fondness for grandiose handouts. Known for gifting luxury cars and bundles of U.S. dollars to musicians and influencers, Chivayo’s public acts of generosity are often accompanied by video recordings, selfies, and statements of praise from beneficiaries.
convicted fraudster Wicknell Chivayo is once again at the centre of public scrutiny—this time over his recent “gift” to veteran state broadcaster journalist Reuben Barwe. The gift, according to sources, amounted to no more than USD370, a sum many are calling “insulting” given Barwe’s 45-year career in Zimbabwe’s public media sector.
While Chivayo has made headlines in recent months for dishing out cars, cash, and high-value donations to celebrities and politically connected individuals, the gesture to Barwe—who is widely recognised as one of Zimbabwe’s longest-serving media professionals—has triggered a wave of criticism, not for its presence, but for its
paltry size and the manner in which it was handled.
Barwe, now 69, has spent more than four decades reporting for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and is considered by many to be a fixture in the country’s state-controlled media landscape. Despite his longevity, sources indicate that his earnings have been meagre throughout his career, reportedly averaging less than USD700 per month. Worse still, the ZBC is said to have failed to contribute to his pension fund over the years, meaning Barwe is set to retire without a financial safety net.
In Barwe’s case, Chivayo allegedly demanded that the elderly journalist record a thank-you video in exchange for the USD370 cash gift. This sparked an immediate backlash on social media, with critics accusing Chivayo of using meagre donations as tools for self-glorification rather than genuine benevolence.
“This is not philanthropy—it’s humiliation,” said one critic on X (formerly Twitter). “To make a man your father’s age record a thank-you video for a few hundred dollars, while you drive away in a USD200,000 car? It’s disgraceful.”
