Zicomo condemns Chivayo's US$10,000 payment to MPs

The Zimbabwe Constitutional Movement (ZICOMO), one of the groups opposing Constitutional Amendment Number 3 Bill, has strongly criticised businessman Wicknell Chivayo's pledge of US$3.6 million to Members of Parliament, describing it as an attempt to influence lawmakers ahead of a key parliamentary vote.

Chivayo announced over the weekend that he would give US$10,000 to each of 360 MPs across the political divide, saying the money was intended for constituency development initiatives.

In a statement, ZICOMO alleged that the donation - made as the constitutional amendment is set to be tabled in Parliament following contentious public consultations - was designed to sway legislators in favour of the reforms.

"This manipulation comes at a critical moment as the Constitutional Amendment Number 3 Bill is set to be presented in Parliament," the group said.

ZICOMO described Chivayo as a "known tenderpreneur and ally of President Mnangagwa" and argued that the total US$3.6 million package was effectively public money derived from taxpayers.

"It is public funds obtained from the hard-earned taxes and levies of ordinary Zimbabwean workers, businesses, and cross-border traders," the statement read.

The organisation stressed that while it supports the Constituency Development Fund in principle, it insisted that such resources must be managed through transparent and accountable parliamentary systems rather than through executive-linked disbursements.

"This blatant misuse of taxpayer funds amounts to bribery and undermines the ethical foundations of governance," ZICOMO said.

The group also urged MPs to reject the funds, warning that accepting them without recognising their public origin would erode public trust.

ZICOMO further condemned what it called the use of financial incentives and gifts to secure political loyalty, arguing that such practices threaten democratic processes and constitutional integrity.

It called on Zimbabweans to remain vigilant and resist what it described as efforts to push through the constitutional amendment for political gain, accusing the ruling elite of abusing state-linked resources.

"We call upon all Zimbabweans to stand firm and resist these attempts to undermine our democratic processes," the statement said.