$100 MILLION ZEC SCANDAL BLOWS WIDE OPEN AS LEAKED AUDIO EXPOSES CHIVAYO, CHIMOMBE, AND POLITICAL ROT

A newly leaked audio recording has reignited public outrage over a murky $100 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) tender scandal, exposing a toxic fallout between controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his former ally, Mike Chimombe. The recording captures a bitter and profanity-laced exchange between the two, laying bare the greed and betrayal that have defined this explosive saga.

The tender in question was signed in February 2023, just months before Zimbabwe’s August general elections. It was officially awarded for election-related services to South African printing firm Ren-Form, but the real deal operated behind the scenes. Chivayo, Chimombe, and another associate, Moses Mpofu, allegedly acted as shadow brokers—pocketing millions in the process. When payments started coming through in March, the alliance quickly crumbled. A $40 million payout—just one part of the total $100 million contract—triggered fierce in-fighting, now exposed in this leaked audio.

The men accuse each other of fraud, theft, and double-dealing, each desperate to control the windfall. But beyond the personal drama, this leak has exposed a deeper, more disturbing picture of corruption entangled with the highest levels of political power. Chivayo, who flaunts his close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, remains untouched by the law, even as the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) continues its “investigation.” Many believe this probe is toothless and designed to protect the elite.

While Chivayo enjoys impunity, Chimombe and Mpofu are not so lucky. The two are currently behind bars for their roles in yet another murky scheme—the $88 million Presidential Goats Program, which was supposed to empower rural farmers. Instead, it became another piggy bank for the politically connected. These overlapping scandals show a pattern: ZANU PF-linked businessmen acting as fronts for state looting while hiding behind political shields.

But it gets worse. A second leaked audio surfaced earlier this year, where Chivayo bragged about controlling the President and pulling strings across government. He named ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, CIO boss Isaac Moyo, and even gold mogul Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya as being part of the network. If true, it paints a chilling picture: Zimbabwe’s elections may not just be rigged—they are auctioned off to the highest bidder, with the complicity of intelligence chiefs and election officials.

This is not just a corruption scandal. It is a crisis that strikes at the heart of Zimbabwe’s democracy. ZEC, the very institution responsible for delivering free and fair elections, is now under suspicion of being compromised at the highest level. If tenders are sold and controlled by politically connected middlemen, then what confidence can citizens have in the results of any election?

The NewsHawks, the investigative outlet that broke this story, has promised more revelations in the coming weeks. Their reporting has already shaken the establishment, but Zimbabweans are demanding more than headlines—they want arrests, resignations, and real reform. Yet, under ZANU PF, the powerful are rarely held accountable. Instead, scapegoats are sacrificed while the masterminds walk free.

This scandal is a litmus test. It will show whether Zimbabwe is serious about ending corruption or whether we remain stuck in a system where loyalty to the party protects criminals. As 2025 inches closer, and with new elections on the horizon, the country stands at a crossroads.

Can Zimbabwe cleanse its electoral institutions of rot, or will history repeat itself under the smokescreen of sham investigations and elite immunity? The people are watching. The world is watching. And the time for justice is now.