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Wicknell ambushes Starlink

by Staff reporter
28 May 2024 at 12:42hrs | Views
No. 53 Samora Machel Avenue, Harare. This is the address from which IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd - which is linked to controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo - will be providing Zimbabwean clients with Starlink satellite high-speed internet services as an agent.

IMC Communications, a newly-registered company, shares offices with Chivayo's Intratrek Zimbabwe at Karigamombe Centre on the same address at the heart of the capital.

This shows that Chivayo is the one who will be the agent for Starlink services. The company was recently created, showing that it is a brief case entity only established to cash in on Starlink.

Chivayo is close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa who took it upon himself to announce that Starlink has been licensed, simultaneously appointing Chivayo's company as the agent. Last weekend, Chivayo was at Mnangagwa's Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, visiting the President.

Insiders say the deal was sealed there.

While individuals may choose to subscribe directly with Starlink, state enterprises, institutions and government departments will be directed to subscribe with Chivayo and his company for him to mint money from virtually doing nothing beyond broking, while he provides vendor or enabling technologies, sources say.

Chivayo, who is close to Mnangagwa, makes money through state tenders, contracts and leveraging proximity to power.

 Announcing that he has now approved Starlink's licence, Mnangagwa said: "I'm pleased to announce that i have approved the licensing of Starlink by POTRAZ to provide advanced internet and related digital processing services in Zimbabwe through its sole and exclusive local partner, IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd. Starlink @Starlink is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite operator wholly owned by global conglomerate Space X led by promiment multi-billionaire @ElonMusk."

Chivayo is already running a Zesa tender for US$173 million.

As revealed by The NewsHawks in our main story in this edition, Chivayo is also minting money through a US$40 million Zimbabwe Election Commission deal.

Leading a flamboyant style, wearing designer clothes and driving top-of-the-range cars, building palatial mansions and living large, while donating cash and vehicles, Chivayo is a typical tenderpreneur who thrives on leveraging political connections to make a fortune.

He is currently milking his relationship with Mnangagwa to the fullest.

Source - newshawks
More on: #Chivayo, #Starlink, #IMC