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Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected] 

LAST week, businessman Wicknell Chivayo made headlines for the wrong reasons, again. His Instagram chats with socialites and married women were screen-grabbed and leaked, showing him seemingly flirting and soliciting sex.

Amid that storm, influencer Tariro Gezi has cleared her name, denying any shady involvement with Chivayo.

Chivayo on his part, has dismissed the leaked chats as “malicious fabrications by sponsored criminals” aiming to assassinate his character.

In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Showbiz, Gezi authenticated the leaked chat with Chivayo but dismissed any romantic involvement with him.

“Wicknell is a public figure that I admire, but I’m not one for scandals. The only time I spoke to him was when I was trying to assist musician Greatman in getting an electric wheelchair after Greatman posted his plea to Chivayo on Facebook.

“I then took that post and sent it to Chivayo’s DM, and I don’t see that as a bad move. I was only trying to help.

“It’s sad that the internet is now used as a tool to destroy careers. I’ve never called or met Chivayo in person. It was just that innocent Instagram chat, and I think the leaked chats are a way of trying to discredit what I’ve built over the years. I didn’t flirt with Chivayo,” she said.

The socialite attested to having a will of steel, having had to contend with rumours of her being romantically involved with Jah Prayzah and Baba Harare.

The certified life coach, leader of a single mothers’ group “My Sister’s Keeper”, radio personality, and founder of the “Kwana Kwana” philanthropic brand, was bred in Queenspark East, Bulawayo, where she was raised by her late grandmother. She attended Thomas Rudland Primary School, Regina Mundi High School, and later relocated to Chiredzi then Harare.

She was in Bulawayo as a special guest for the recently launched Miss Teen of the Universe on Saturday, where she stated that she advocates for single mothers.

For Gezi, 2020 was a year of self-discovery with the Covid-19 induced lockdown opening a window of opportunities for online content creators. Gezi joined the bandwagon, offering virtual make-up tutorials, but only later did she make a big break, appearing as a video vixen in multiple music videos.

“Appearing as a video vixen in Jah Prayzah’s ‘Murder’ music video was a blessing because he is the guy that made me famous. Working with people like him, Nox, Freeman, and other musicians was unbelievable. It’s something that I’m grateful for to this day. I still have a strong relationship with Jah Prayzah because after I appeared in an Impala Car Rentals advertisement, he wanted me to be a part of his music video,” she said.

A lover of choreography, Gezi works hand in hand with popular dance expert, Kuda The Choreographer.

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