Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo has moved to reward a dozen long-serving members of the United Family International Church (UFIC), announcing a package of brand-new vehicles and cash for people he describes as the unsung workers behind Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa’s ministry.

The pledge, made in a social media post on Saturday, 19 September 2026, marks the latest instalment in an extraordinary giving spree that has dominated headlines in Zimbabwe for months.

What the twelve beneficiaries will receive

Under the arrangement outlined by Chivayo, ten ushers — five men and five women — are each set to receive a new Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 together with US$10 000 to cover fuel. Two further recipients, described as outstanding church leaders, one male and one female, will each get a 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 ZX plus US$20 000 in fuel money.

That puts the total cash component of the giveaway at US$140 000, before the value of the twelve vehicles is taken into account. Chivayo said the cars have already been paid for and will be handed over as soon as the beneficiaries are named.

According to his post, the chosen twelve are expected to send a representative to Exquisite Car Dealership on Monday, carrying passports and proof of physical address so that delivery paperwork can be completed. The vehicles will then be shipped and are expected to reach the UFIC Chitungwiza branch within five to ten days.

Makandiwa asked to make the selection

Rather than naming the beneficiaries himself, Chivayo said he had asked Prophet Makandiwa and his wife, Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa, to identify who should benefit.

Explaining the gesture, he said it was his way of recognising the people who keep a large ministry running away from the pulpit — the ushers, administrators and volunteers whose work rarely attracts public attention.

“This is my small way of remembering the many people who work quietly behind the scenes to help carry such a great ministry,” he wrote, adding that not everyone who contributes to a church’s success stands on the pulpit.

A gift declined, then accepted

The two Land Cruisers now on offer are not a new idea. Chivayo reminded his followers that he had offered UFIC two brand-new 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 ZX models last year, only for the church to turn them down — a refusal he described at the time as respectful.

He said circumstances had since changed and that the two vehicles, which remain available, must now find deserving owners inside UFIC. In his characteristic mixed-language style, he insisted he was not backing down, writing “handina defeat”.

The turn of events follows a remarkable shift in position by Makandiwa. In late July 2026, during a church service, the prophet announced that he was now prepared to accept the gifts he had previously declined. Until then, he and his wife had offered prayers instead of accepting the businessman’s offers.

US$1 million for the church building project

Days after that announcement, in early August, Chivayo pledged US$1 million towards UFIC’s development programme, saying the money was meant to support Makandiwa’s vision of building God’s house. He also promised luxury vehicles for the couple themselves.

Makandiwa later confirmed both donations during a service, thanking Chivayo and his wife and acknowledging three high-end vehicles gifted to him and Prophetess Ruth — a 2026 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge facelift, a 2026 Mercedes-AMG G63 and a 2026 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.

Why this round is different

Unlike the earlier presents, which went to the church’s founders, the latest package is directed at ordinary members — a distinction Chivayo was keen to emphasise. The move is likely to fuel further debate in Zimbabwe about conspicuous generosity, church wealth and the relationship between prominent businessmen and influential religious figures.

Whether the twelve recipients will be publicly named, and when the vehicles will physically arrive, remains to be seen. For now, the beneficiaries have until Monday to present themselves at the dealership, with the church leadership left to decide who among its long-serving volunteers deserves the keys.