By Lifestyle Correspondent
HARARE — Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has gifted musician Mukudzeyi “Jah Prayzah” Mukombe a brand-new 2026 Ford Ranger Platinum and US$250,000 in cash as part of his birthday celebrations, while also making a surprise pledge involving Chimurenga music legend Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo.
In a social media post celebrating Jah Prayzah’s birthday, Chivayo described the award-winning musician as his “favourite musician” and praised his contribution to Zimbabwean music.
He wrote: “Today marks yet ANOTHER YEAR in which I choose to celebrate the GREATEST OF ALL TIME… a CONSISTENT artist, an EXCEPTIONALLY gifted musician and a CREATIVE GENIUS whose talent continues to redefine Zimbabwean music.”
Announcing the gifts, Chivayo said: “Please GO & SEE Victor on Monday at Exquisite Car Dealership and collect your brand new 2026 FORD RANGER PLATINUM, which is FULLY paid for and ready for COLLECTION.
In addition, please collect US$250,000 in CASH, as I promised, and spoil yourself on your special day.”
The latest gifts add to a growing list of rewards Chivayo has presented to Jah Prayzah over the past two years. Earlier this year, following the release of the album Ndini Mukudzeyi, Chivayo gifted the musician a Range Rover Autobiographyand US$150,000 in cash.
He has also donated vehicles to members of Jah Prayzah’s Third Generation Band and previously bought a Land Rover Defender for the musician’s wife.
However, it was Chivayo’s comments about Thomas Mapfumo that attracted significant attention.
Referring to rumours that Jah Prayzah could marry later this year, Chivayo said his preferred wedding gift would be to have Mapfumo perform at the ceremony.
He wrote: “If the wedding is there, I will be happy for you to invite the LEGENDARY Thomas ‘MUKANYA’ Mapfumo, your MBIRA mentor and one of Africa’s greatest CHIMURENGA MUSIC icons, to perform on your special day. If he accepts this invitation, I will personally pay him US$500,000 in CASH for that performance.”
Chivayo went further, saying that if the performance did not happen at the wedding, he would instead invite Mapfumo to perform at his own birthday celebration.
He said: “If, for whatever reason, that performance does not happen, I will still GLADLY INVITE him to perform for me and my family in my own backyard on my birthday and pay him 1 million USD… it would be an honour for our CHIMURENGA icon to finally retire from music as a MILLIONAIRE, and perform his last BIRA in style.”
The statement links Chivayo’s latest gift to Jah Prayzah with a public show of appreciation for Mapfumo, who is widely regarded as the pioneer of Chimurenga music.
Mapfumo rose to prominence during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle by blending traditional Shona mbira music with modern instruments, creating Chimurenga music, a genre that became associated with the country’s struggle for independence.
His music has influenced generations of Zimbabwean artists, including Jah Prayzah, whose sound incorporates traditional rhythms and mbira-inspired melodies.
Jah Prayzah, has become one of Zimbabwe’s most successful contemporary musicians, earning regional recognition for combining traditional Zimbabwean music with modern Afro-pop sounds.