By Thomas Chidamba
A fiery online debate has caught the public’s eye, featuring well-known economist Nigel Chanakira and the colourful business mogul Wicknell Chivayo.
The two have been throwing sharp comments back and forth about the Shona word “chigananda.” Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who used it to take a jab at those accumulating wealth through dubious methods, recently brought this term back into the spotlight.
The term popped up again when Chanakira shared a snapshot from a Shona dictionary that defines “chigananda.” Many saw this as a sly jab at Chivayo.
This happened just weeks after Vice President Chiwenga, during his speech at the funeral of the late national hero Justin Mupamhanga at Heroes Acre, criticised those who accumulate “big tummies through ill-gotten wealth and questionable morals,” calling them zvigananda.
“We all swore to a shared future… where every Zimbabwean served in equal measure,” Chiwenga said.
“Our Vision 2030 is for all of us—kwete dzamunoti mbinga kuhondo taidziti zvigananda.”
Chivayo, famous for his flashy displays of wealth and those recent car giveaways that turned heads, took to social media to respond to Chanakira. In a post that packed a punch, he claimed that the former Kingdom Bank owner was financially insignificant and had even tried to land a job with him.
“These are the statements of someone who no longer has cash,” Chivayo wrote. “You came to my office looking for work and had nothing meaningful to offer… Come to masowe (apostolic sect), and we’ll pray for you to return to your Kingdom Bank days.”
Chanakira, an executive coach and leadership developer, rejected Chivayo’s comments as shallow. He took the opportunity to question Chivayo’s grasp of what true wealth means, highlighting the difference between just piling up material possessions and seeking lasting value and purpose in life.
“For you, I suppose having ‘cash’ is displaying it ostentatiously to impressionable and gullible people,” he wrote. “I come from a different school and possess different values.”
The economist confidently stated that he had intentionally distanced himself from the banking sector after successfully establishing and managing several financial institutions.
“Banks, I created (and still can create) in my sleep, bro,” he said. “Now I advise and mentor bankers and entrepreneurs.”
Chanakira’s comments seemed to focus on highlighting the difference between creating sustainable wealth and what a lot of Zimbabweans have come to link with “tenderpreneurs”—those businesspeople who are seen as profiting from government contracts thanks to political connections.
The timing of the exchange comes amid renewed government pledges to combat corruption and enforce transparency in both public and private sectors.
