An apparent leaked letter written by Wicknell Chivayo whose IMC was formed last year to supply Starlink Kits in Zimbabwe exclusively, shows the company has secured contacts with the government of about US $200 million.
In the letter, Chivayo asked bankers at Ecobank to increase the monthly withdrawal limit of the company’s bank account to $20 million, so they can source ICT supplies internationally.
Chivayo boasted last year in a leaked video that he had captured the country’s president, guaranteeing him access to lucrative government tenders. This followed his company IMC being given exclusive rights by the government to sell Starlink Kits and services in Zimbabwe. The president himself, Emmerson Mnangagwa made the announcement of the exclusive deal to Chivayo’s company on social media.
Unfortunately, Starlink refused to work with Chivayo and IMC, effectively pouring cold water on the project. Instead, Starlink partnered other companies such as TelOne, Dandemutande, Aura, ZODSAT and Frampol.
The letter asking for an increase in the withdrawal limit was dated 6 December 2024 and by then, TelOne and Aura had already been licensed to sell Starlink kits in Zimbabwe.
Yet, the letter said IMC had recently secured government contracts, which would mean the government was still trying to give IMC business all while TelOne, a parastatal had the licence and was already operational.
It could be that IMC had contracts to supply something else other than Starlink kits for which it was proving difficult to acquire. However, that’s unlikely.
Wicknell denies it
The above could all be moot though. Wicknell denies having authored or authorised the leaked letter. Said he, as quoted,
DESPERATE AND SHAMEFUL…My attention has been drawn to some appalling and amateurishly FORGED letters circulating on social media, FALSELY alleging that I requested increases in the maximum monthly withdrawal limits for accounts PURPORTEDLY held at EcoBank under the names of IMC Communications and Eden Breeze (Pty) Ltd. I CATEGORICALLY DENY these false allegations and UNEQUIVOCALLY state that I have never signed, authored or authorized any such letters or requests. These documents are BLATANT FORGERIES, designed to maliciously tarnish my personal image and business reputation as well as mislead the public.
In support of Wicknell’s statement is the issue I raised above. Why would the government grant IMC Starlink contracts in December when the company still had not acquired Starlink resellership status? Especially when TelOne had one already.
That said, would I put it past our government at this point? I would not. They still would do that if they wanted to, if they stood to gain personally from awarding the contracts to IMC.
The next statement Wicknell made is a lot harder to believe:
I have received CREDIBLE reports that one useless female “Advocate”, who was rejected by her own fractured opposition political party and DESPERATE to regain relevance, allegedly misused her privileged access to court records. She is said to have UNLAWFULLY scanned my authentic signature from previously signed affidavits and FRAUDULENTLY replicated it on the fabricated letters circulating on various social media platforms.
He is saying Fadzayi Mahere illegally scanned his signature from signed affidavits and put it on the fabricated letters. That sounds a little out there in my opinion. He could be right but I find that version of events hard to believe.
That said, him speculating wildly on where the forgery came from doesn’t necessarily have to mean his denial of the letter is further in question.
Time will tell what’s what, if we’re lucky. If history serves, this will be the last we hear of this.
