Nyaya YaChivhayo Yekuba Mari YeGwanda Solar Project YomukaEnergy and Power Reporter-The government is re-examining Wicknell Chivhayo’s fraudulent involvement in the long-awaited 100MW Gwanda Solar Project, amid shocking plans to re-engage his non-existent company—Intratrek Zimbabwe—in partnership with the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC).
Authorities, who already paid Chivhayo $5.6 million for the project, are now proposing a feasibility study—a process that should have preceded awarding the contract.Energy Minister July Moyo, a key Mnangagwa ally, made the announcement in Parliament, raising fresh concerns over entrenched corruption.
The Gwanda Solar Project has been marred by delays, lawsuits, and public outcry since Chivhayo, a controversial Harare businessman, was awarded the contract but failed to deliver within the agreed timelines.
Chivhayo, a known beneficiary of Mnangagwa’s patronage, has dodged multiple corruption charges, leveraging high-level political connections to avoid accountability.
In 2020, Cabinet approved a revised implementation plan for the solar project, setting a 2022 deadline for power generation.
However, a series of court battles between ZPC and Intratrek stalled progress. December 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the original contract remains binding, compelling ZPC and Intratrek to honor their obligations.
The government is now pushing a revised contract with updated pricing due to declining global solar costs.
Despite Chivhayo’s failure, authorities are pressing ahead with negotiations, raising serious transparency concerns.
Zimbabwe’s electricity crisis remains dire, with demand peaking at 2,200MW, while national generation lags at 1,244MW.
The Gwanda Solar Project was expected to ease power shortages, but it has instead become a symbol of state-sponsored looting.
