- The High Court of Zimbabwe has concluded the divorce case between businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his ex-wife Sonja Madzikanda through a legal agreement
- Chivayo has been ordered to pay a total of US$5 million in family maintenance, part of which has already been paid
- A childcare plan has been put in place, giving Madzikanda primary care while Chivayo is given rights to access them on a specific schedule
- The case has been officially closed by the Court, while the distribution of assets is expected to be dealt with in a separate case
HARARE – The High Court of Zimbabwe has officially concluded the divorce case that attracted public attention between Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his ex-wife Sonja Louise Madzikanda.
Source: Facebook
This is after issuing a consent decree that includes the payment of millions of dollars and a detailed plan for the care of their children.
According to the information of the organization The Herald the decision was made on Thursday, 10 April 2026, before the High Court Judge, Justice Amy Tsanga, where both parties agreed to end the dispute through a legal agreement instead of continuing with a long court case.
5 Million cash settlement
According to the court order, Chivayo must pay a total of 5 million US dollars as family maintenance.
Of that amount, 2.2 million dollars had already been paid, while the balance of 2.8 million dollars was directed to be paid within 30 days.
The funds will be deposited in a bank account managed by Madzikanda, although Chivayo will continue to have financial oversight of the account as directed by the court.
This decision follows the previous claims presented by Madzikanda which were bigger, including compensation of 25 million dollars, monthly maintenance of 40,000 dollars, as well as luxury properties.
Child care plan
The court also set a special care plan for their young children, where Madzikanda has been given the right to basic care.
For his part, Chivayo has been given the right to see the children for one week every month, as well as weekends and holidays that alternate between both parents.
In addition, the court has emphasized that Chivayo must be present himself during his time to have children and is not allowed to delegate those responsibilities to other people.
The program also gives him the right to participate in important days such as children’s birthdays and Father’s Day, based on a special schedule for picking up and returning children.
Lessons and future strategies
Judge Tsanga also directed that any future disputes between the two parties should first be handled through mediation or lawyers before being brought to court.
In addition, the division of property resulting from the marriage will be handled in a separate case, with each party being ordered to bear its own legal costs.
With the closure of this divorce case, the Supreme Court has officially put an end to the long-term legal dispute between the two, while property issues continue to be dealt with in another legal action.
The history of the businessman
Chivayo is well known in Sub-Saharan Africa for his lavish lifestyle, donations of millions of dollars to individuals and various institutions, and his close ties to political circles in Zimbabwe.
He has been photographed many times by African leaders and he is known for his honesty in showing his wealth openly on social networks, which has often sparked a great debate about the nature of his wealth and its source.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
