Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube | Zim GBC News<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HARARE \u2013 Controversial businessman and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo has found himself at the center of a social media storm after publicly announcing a massive condolence package to a bereaved family, a move many traditionalists and mourners have labelled a breach of African mourning etiquette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a lengthy statement addressed to \u201cbrother Ronald,\u201d Chivayo expressed profound gratitude to First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, whom he hailed as the \u201cMother of the Nation\u201d for visiting the grieving family. He also acknowledged Transport Minister Felix Mhona for his personal condolences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it was the announcement of the gift itself that drew sharp criticism. Chivayo declared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI say to my dear brother Ronald, please GO AND SEE VICTOR at Exquisite Car Dealership and collect a brand spanking new 2026 Toyota Fortuner 2,8GD6 valued at USD 80,000. You will also receive CHEMA of US $50,000 in cash\u2026 This is all from the bottom of my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the value of the gift\u2014totalling US$130,000\u2014is undeniable, critics argue the public nature of the pledge violates the sacred, private spirit of chema (funeral tribute).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018You Don\u2019t Tell the Whole World\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An elder from Chivhu, speaking to Zim GBC News, lambasted the businessman\u2019s approach, stating that genuine consolation does not require a public address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChema haishedzerwe. You don\u2019t have to tell the whole world of your contribution toward the funeral. The young man is still mourning his family, for crying out loud!,\u201d the elder said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another observer added in a viral social media comment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMomboitawo nyadzi vakuru, vanhu vachati kuromba kauku. Ingadai mamborega taita manyaradzo.\u201d
(\u201cYou have to be ashamed, elder. People will call this bewitching. Couldn’t you wait until it was manyaradzo?”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social Media Reactions: \u2018Offside Goal\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As screenshots of Chivayo\u2019s message circulated, Zimbabweans flooded social media platforms with mixed reactions. While some praised the gesture as generous, the majority questioned the timing and publicity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One user wrote: \u201cHaaaa zvekupenga izvo vogomuka here vana\u201d (\u201cThis is madness\u2014will the dead rise?\u201d), questioning the logic of announcing such a large sum while a family is still in deep grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another countered with biting sarcasm: \u201cSaka akasapihwa vachamuka here?\u201d (\u201cSo if he hadn\u2019t been given the car, would the deceased come back to life?\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Political commentator Tawanda Chirisa noted that Chivayo \u201cscored an offside goal,\u201d arguing that true Ubuntu is quiet and respectful, not performative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chivayo\u2019s Defense: \u2018A Token of Love\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his message, Chivayo appeared to anticipate the backlash, stating he acted \u201cwithout any desire for recognition or attention, but purely as a token of love in our African tradition yekupa CHEMA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that he felt \u201cduty-bound, as your brother and as a patriotic Zimbabwean who understands loss\u201d to extend the support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite his disclaimer, many feel the public declaration overshadowed the kindness of the act itself, turning a private moment of sorrow into a national spectacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Painful Lesson in Grief Etiquette<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cultural experts note that while generosity is welcome, mourning in Zimbabwean tradition demands humility and privacy. The focus, they say, should remain on comforting the bereaved\u2014not on the giver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As one Facebook user summed it up: \u201cThe hand that gives should not let the other hand know what it is doing. This is not a press conference. It is a funeral.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective\u00a92026<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube | Zim GBC News HARARE \u2013 Controversial businessman and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo has found himself at the center of a social media storm after publicly announcing a… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12957,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12956"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12958,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12956\/revisions\/12958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}