MBABANE – Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo has claimed that he was granted Eswatini citizenship and presented with a diplomatic passport following a meeting with His Majesty King Mswati III at the Royal Palace.
In a lengthy social media post published after what he described as a courtesy visit to the Kingdom, Chivayo said the monarch had instructed his administration to confer upon him the country’s citizenship and facilitate the issuance of a diplomatic passport.
“The highlight of my courtesy visit was His Majesty’s most humbling instruction to his administration, which bestowed upon me the highest honour of being granted Eswatini citizenship, as the King accepted me as his young, fellow African son,” Chivayo wrote.
He further stated that he had been presented with a diplomatic passport intended to facilitate travel and business activities in Eswatini, particularly in the area of infrastructure development.
According to Chivayo, the audience with King Mswati III was among the greatest honours of his life. He said he was received at the Royal Palace and afforded what he described as royal hospitality, while discussions covered a range of issues of mutual interest.
The businessman said he was particularly surprised by the King’s familiarity with his philanthropic activities in Zimbabwe and elsewhere on the African continent. He added that the monarch commended his support for liberation movements in Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party under President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chivayo described King Mswati III as intellectually astute, forward-thinking and committed to balancing the preservation of cultural traditions with economic modernisation and development.
He said discussions also focused on Eswatini’s development agenda, including industrialisation, energy security, infrastructure expansion, private sector growth and youth empowerment.
According to Chivayo, the King spoke passionately about unlocking Eswatini’s renewable energy potential and attracting strategic investment to drive economic growth and improve the lives of citizens.
The businessman indicated that he had expressed interest in participating in major infrastructure and renewable energy projects in the Kingdom through his companies and technical partners.
“As a businessman whose passion lies in infrastructure development and mainly renewable energy, I gave my assurances that through my companies and strategic technical partners, we stand ready to participate and mobilise substantial capital and raise funding through debt from local banks and pension funds to unlock and deliver on any bankable projects,” he wrote.
Chivayo further praised Eswatini’s investment environment, saying the country presented significant opportunities for large-scale development due to its credit standing and support from multilateral development partners.
He contrasted Eswatini’s investment climate with that of Zimbabwe, which he said had faced economic challenges arising from decades of sanctions and perceived sovereign risk.
The businessman concluded by expressing gratitude to King Mswati III and pledging to contribute towards the socio-economic transformation of Eswatini and the African continent.
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