Tanzanian prophet Mwamposa has spoken out about his decision to ban late Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo from attending a night vigil at his church. According to Mwamposa, Chivayo's representatives had reached out to him requesting permission for the businessman to attend one of his overnight church services, but Mwamposa personally shut down the request. He stated that Chivayo's presence would have raised questions about the source of his church's wealth and resources.
Mwamposa shared his account via an Instagram post by Edwin Odemba on Monday, October 5, 2026. He explained that his refusal had nothing to do with Chivayo himself, but everything to do with public perception. Chivayo was known for lavishing gifts on pastors and churches across the region, and Mwamposa feared that his appearance at the service would blur the line between divine provision and human patronage.
The prophet noted that fellow pastors present at the time could corroborate his account. He stated that he told Chivayo's representatives that if the businessman had come for the service, many people would view it politically, and others would think that all the church had, it had received from Chivayo. Mwamposa emphasized that he wanted people to know it was God who helped his church, not human generosity.
Mwamposa's decision struck many as unusual at the time, given that turning away someone of Chivayo's stature and generosity was far from commonplace. Chivayo was widely recognized for a lavish lifestyle and a habit of making headline-grabbing gestures. Among the most talked-about was his decision to gift a spa therapist a Mercedes-Benz valued at KSh 13 million.
Chivayo's relationship with the church community was equally prominent, with reports suggesting that many pastors across the region counted themselves among his beneficiaries. Following his death, mourners gathered at the family home as his wife and relatives received condolences. A video also emerged of Chivayo sharing plans to construct a helipad at his rural home, an ambition that Mwamposa referenced as evidence of a man who seemed to believe time was on his side.
Mwamposa had previously attracted debate when he advised people who had received gifts from Chivayo to destroy them, remarks that sparked considerable discussion online. His latest account has reignited interest in the complicated legacy of a figure whose ties to religion, wealth, and public life continued to generate conversation long after his passing.
Wicknell Chivayo's death has had a lasting impact on his family, particularly his young daughter, who was captured on video visibly overcome with grief at the family's Harare home, days after the Zimbabwean businessman and his wife, Lucy Lulu Muteke, were killed in a helicopter crash on 30 September 2026. The girl can be heard expressing how deeply she misses her father as relatives and mourners gathered at the Chivayo residence to pay their respects.
Key points
- Prophet Mwamposa turned down Wicknell Chivayo's request to attend a night vigil at his church due to concerns over public perception of the church's wealth and resources.
- Chivayo was known for lavishing gifts on pastors and churches across the region, which raised questions about the source of his church's wealth and resources.
- Mwamposa's decision has reignited interest in the complicated legacy of Wicknell Chivayo, whose ties to religion, wealth, and public life continued to generate conversation long after his passing.
