Chivayo reveals Ruto drove him to helipad

ZIMBABWEAN businessman Wicknell Chivayo has revealed an extraordinary encounter with Kenyan President William Ruto, claiming the head of state personally drove him and his wife about three kilometres to a helipad after attending a family celebration.

Chivayo shared a selfie video of the journey on social media, showing him in the front passenger seat, his wife seated at the back and Ruto behind the wheel.

The businessman said he had left his helicopter at a nearby helipad and was preparing to depart after attending the traditional engagement celebration of Ruto's daughter, Charlene, when the Kenyan president offered to drive him there.

"I am being driven by the President of Kenya," Chivayo says excitedly in the video, as Ruto is seen laughing while driving.

In a lengthy post accompanying the footage, Chivayo described the encounter as the "final UNFORGETTABLE" moment of what he said had already been a special day.

"Imagine me sitting in the front PASSENGER SEAT with my wife at the back while the PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, the HEAD OF STATE himself, was behind the steering wheel personally driving me to the chopper!!!" he wrote.

Chivayo described the roughly three-kilometre journey as one of the most memorable and valuable experiences of his life.

"I sat there overwhelmed with JOY, thinking, ‘GOD, WHAT KIND OF GRACE IS THIS?'" he wrote.

He thanked Ruto for what he described as the president's humility, kindness and genuine affection towards him.

"Your HUMILITY is unmatched and thank you again and always for the genuine love, kindness you have shown me as your own child," Chivayo said.

The businessman, who regularly showcases his wealth, travels and relationships with prominent political figures on social media, said the brief journey was unlike anything he had experienced before.

"What may have been a short drive for you became a MEMORY OF A LIFETIME for me," he wrote.

The video comes amid growing scrutiny over Chivayo's increasingly visible relationship with the Kenyan president and his access to senior figures in the country.

In June, former Kenyan Attorney-General Justin Muturi publicly questioned Chivayo's proximity to the Kenyan presidency, asking why a Zimbabwean businessman appeared to have such close access to Ruto.

Muturi also raised questions about Chivayo's political connections in Zimbabwe and whether they had played a role in his access to senior officials in Kenya.

The latest episode has therefore attracted attention beyond the social-media spectacle, particularly as Chivayo expands his business interests in Kenya.

Last month, reports indicated that Chivayo's Kenyan company, IMC Construction Kenya, had secured a stake in the proposed US$2.9 billion expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

According to the reports, IMC Construction Kenya was brought into a consortium involving Chinese state-owned construction giant China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and its subsidiary, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

The reported involvement places Chivayo's company in one of Kenya's major infrastructure projects and has further fuelled interest in his frequent visits to Nairobi and his relationship with Ruto.

For now, however, Chivayo is celebrating what he described as an unforgettable personal moment — being driven by a sitting head of state for the final leg of his journey to his helicopter.