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Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has dismissed reports that his company, IMC Communications, secured government contracts worth $200 million in the ICT sector. The allegations surfaced after a letter, purportedly authored by Chivayo, was leaked on social media. The document, dated December 6, 2024, allegedly requested Ecobank to increase IMC Communications’ monthly cash withdrawal limit to $20 million to facilitate international ICT procurement.
The letter claimed IMC Communications had recently secured lucrative contracts with the government, yet questions were immediately raised about the timing and credibility of such a claim. By late 2024, Starlink, which IMC had initially been linked to, had already partnered with multiple companies, including TelOne, Aura, and Dandemutande, bypassing IMC Communications entirely.
Chivayo strongly denied the authenticity of the letter, calling it a “blatant forgery.” In a public statement, he said:
“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.”
The businessman accused unnamed political actors of fabricating the letter to tarnish his reputation. He alleged that a certain political figure had unlawfully replicated his signature from court documents to create the forged letter.
This is not the first controversy surrounding IMC Communications. In 2023, the company was announced as having exclusive rights to supply Starlink Kits and services in Zimbabwe, an announcement made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. However, Starlink later partnered with other companies, including the government-owned TelOne, effectively sidelining IMC Communications.
The emergence of the alleged letter, dated months after Starlink formalized partnerships with other firms, has fueled speculation about the credibility of the claims. Chivayo’s denials raise further questions about the motives behind the letter’s circulation and the transparency of government tender processes.
While Chivayo insists the document is a fabrication, the allegations have reignited scrutiny of Zimbabwe’s ICT sector and the handling of high-value government contracts. Whether the letter was indeed forged or reflects deeper issues within the procurement system remains unclear, but for now, Chivayo has unequivocally rejected any involvement in the claims.
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