Flamboyant Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo pledges $163 million solar project to Eswatini after King grants him citizenship

Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has pledged R3 billion ($163 million) toward a 300-megawatt solar project in Eswatini, days after King Mswati III granted him citizenship and a diplomatic passport during a meeting at the Royal Palace.

The pledge, made through Chivayo's Mauritius-registered holding company Intratrek Holdings, was announced Tuesday by the Times of Eswatini. The solar project would be developed as an independent power producer on 120 hectares of land made available by the King, and is described as a long-term contribution toward the kingdom's energy security and industrial growth.

Chivayo met King Mswati III last Thursday, a visit facilitated by His Royal Highness Prince Lindani. The King granted him Eswatini citizenship and a diplomatic passport in recognition of what the Times of Eswatini described as his philanthropic contributions in Zimbabwe and across the African continent. Chivayo, widely known by his self-styled moniker "Sir Wicknell," responded by committing the solar investment as a demonstration of support for the kingdom's development agenda.

The project, if it proceeds to construction, would represent one of the largest private energy investments in Eswatini's history. The kingdom has relied on South Africa's Eskom for more than 80% of its electricity for years and has been pursuing energy independence through a national program to develop utility-scale solar, biomass, and coal-fired generation.

Chivayo's pledge arrives with considerable context. His primary business vehicle, Intratrek Zimbabwe, was awarded a contract in 2015 to construct a 100-megawatt solar plant in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, under a deal valued at approximately $172 million to $202 million. The Zimbabwe Power Company paid Intratrek a $5 million advance for pre-commencement works. No substantive construction ever took place. Chivayo was arrested in 2018 on charges of fraud and money laundering related to the advance payment. He was acquitted in 2024 after courts found the state had not established a sufficient case.

In March 2025, Zimbabwe's energy minister announced the government was reviewing the Gwanda contract with a view to reviving it under revised terms. That project remains unbuilt more than a decade after the contract was signed.

Chivayo has also been linked by leaked audio recordings to a $100 million contract for election materials supplied to Zimbabwe's Electoral Commission ahead of the 2023 general elections. Zimbabwe's Anti-Corruption Commission announced in December 2025 that it had found no direct evidence linking him to that transaction.

In June 2026, reports by ZimLive indicated that Chivayo's company IMC Construction Kenya had won a stake in a $2.9 billion contract to expand Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as part of a joint venture with China Communications Construction Company. The report attributed the claim to two people said to be familiar with the deal.

Chivayo has described his net worth as exceeding $100 million, calling himself a centi-millionaire with ambitions to reach billionaire status. Independent wealth estimates vary widely and are not verified by any major financial publication. Forbes does not carry a listing for him.

He is known for high-profile public gifting across Zimbabwe, including luxury vehicles, cash, and buses distributed to musicians, sports organizations, and members of the security forces. An investigation by Zimbabwean media found that he spent more than $9.3 million on cars and gifts within a 12-month period.

Eswatini has not issued an independent statement on the project timeline, financing structure, or regulatory approvals. Intratrek Holdings could not immediately be reached for comment.