Former radio 2 DJ appeals for help

Former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Radio 2 presenter Simon Pashoma Ncube has made a public appeal for financial assistance to prominent businessman and tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo. The 66-year-old, who once enjoyed fame as a household name on Radio 2, says he is now disabled, impoverished, and struggling to survive on a plot he was allocated during Zimbabwe's land reform program.

Ncube's plea was shared in a video and text message posted on 1 November on his Facebook page, which recently gained widespread attention. In his appeal, Ncube highlighted his inability to utilize the land due to a lack of resources, compounded by his disability and financial struggles.
A Fall from Grace

Ncube, retrenched from ZBC in 2015, had previously faced corruption and rape allegations during his tenure as a popular radio personality. Since leaving the broadcaster, he has been battling poverty and claims he has not received his pension. His plight underscores the economic challenges faced by many former civil servants and media professionals in Zimbabwe.

In his emotional appeal to Chivayo, Ncube said:

"I am wallowing in abject poverty in Chikomba West/Chivhu at a plot that I got through the land reform program. My disability worsens my plight, given my lack of resources. I want to play my part in ensuring the success of the Agrarian Reform, but without resources, it remains a pipe dream."

Controversial Benefactor

Chivayo, a close associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is a polarizing figure. Known for his lavish lifestyle and extravagant spending, Chivayo has amassed wealth through lucrative government tenders, including a controversial US$100 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission deal.

Despite facing his own corruption allegations and being an ex-convict, Chivayo has distributed millions of dollars in cash and assets to individuals and organizations, often criticized as patronage-driven gestures rather than genuine philanthropy.

Ncube acknowledged Chivayo's generosity in his message:

"I have heard a lot about your good works towards individuals and communities. Your gesture is in line with our beloved President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa's vision to uplift the masses. It is in this spirit that I humbly ask for any assistance you can provide."

Mixed Reactions

The public has reacted with a mix of sympathy for Ncube's plight and criticism of the systemic failures that leave once-prominent figures destitute. Some see Ncube's appeal as emblematic of the struggles faced by those who benefitted from land reform without adequate support to utilize the land productively.

Others have criticized Chivayo's role, suggesting his publicized donations are politically motivated rather than rooted in a desire to address social inequalities.

As Ncube awaits a response from Chivayo, his plea highlights the stark realities of economic hardship and the precarious lives of many Zimbabweans, even those who once enjoyed public prominence.