Tinotenda Hove – Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo has donated a brand-new Range Rover to social media influencer and artist Mudiwa Hood — a gesture that has triggered more criticism than admiration across Zimbabwe.

Chivayo made the announcement on Wednesday morning via Facebook, launching into his usual dramatic praise of Hood, whom he described as “a young man with a millionaire mindset.” He went on to call him “one of Zimbabwe’s most inspiring, disciplined and successful entrepreneurs” while listing a long and questionable catalogue of supposed business ventures ranging from construction to aviation.

He also romanticised Hood’s rise from Chitungwiza, declaring, “From HUMBLE beginnings ku GHETTO redu ku CHITUNGWIZA… Mudiwa has built a MASSIVE BRAND that is hard to ignore.” Chivayo praised Hood’s Christian messaging too, saying his favourite song is “NDAITA MARI NDINA MWARI,” before adding that “wealth is by God’s grace, not merely human effort.”

But the political undertones of the donation were hard to ignore. Chivayo openly applauded Hood for siding with the ruling party, stating, “Most importantly, you have been a consistent supporter of our ruling party ZANU-PF, championing the message of youth empowerment and national development under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa.”

This admission has only fuelled public criticism that the donation is less about merit and more about rewarding political loyalty. Chivayo has repeatedly gifted vehicles to pro-Zanu PF personalities, cementing concerns that he uses his wealth — much of it linked to opaque government tenders — to buy influence and polish the ruling party’s image.

Chivayo ended his post by telling Hood to collect the vehicle, writing, “Please go and see Victor at Exquisite Car Dealership on Monday to collect your brand spanking new Toyota Fortuner, fully paid for.”

But many Zimbabweans see the gesture as yet another tone-deaf display of excess in a country grappling with poverty, unemployment and collapsing public services. Critics argue that such flashy giveaways insult the daily struggles of ordinary citizens and serve only to reinforce a system built on patronage rather than genuine empowerment.

For some, the question isn’t whether Mudiwa Hood is lucky — but whether these spectacles of political generosity are a misfortune for the entire nation.