HARARE – Senior lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri has declined a US$250,000 Range Rover Sport and US$100,000 in cash offered to him by businessman Wicknell Chivayo, saying accepting the gifts could create a perception of personal financial obligation beyond their concluded professional relationship.
Chivayo publicly announced the gifts on Monday in a lengthy tribute to Uriri, praising him as a “lawyer par excellence” and crediting him with fearlessly defending him in legal battles over the years.
He said Uriri should collect a brand-new 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography, valued at US$250,000, together with US$50,000 in cash for fuel.
Chivayo also offered US$50,000 to Uriri’s wife, another senior lawyer, describing it jokingly as a “handbag allowance”.
But Uriri said he and his wife had decided to decline all three gifts.
“Your announcement came as a complete surprise, without prior notice or discussion,” Uriri said in a response to Chivayo.
“Given the distance that has developed between us since our last conversation, the substantial nature of the gifts, and their express connection to past professional services, I must approach this gesture with particular care.”
Uriri said the two last spoke in June 2024 and that he had not undertaken any professional work for Chivayo since then.
“The historical work to which your tribute refers was performed in my professional capacity and paid for in full. My remuneration was for services actually rendered,” he said.
The $250,000 Range Rover Autobiography which lawyer Lewis Uriri turned down
The interior of the Range Rover which Wicknell Chivayo offered as a gift to lawyer Lewis Uriri, which the latter rejected
Uriri said professional standards required lawyers to preserve their integrity, professional independence and public confidence in the legal profession.
“Applying those standards to these circumstances, I consider it necessary to decline benefits that could reasonably create a perception of personal financial obligation extending beyond a concluded and fully remunerated professional engagement,” he said.
“My wife and I attach great importance to preserving both our professional standing and public confidence in our independence.”
Chivayo had described Uriri as a lawyer who “makes the necessary noise when it matters”, arguing cases fearlessly and refusing to be distracted by pressure or public opinion.
“I cannot remember a single matter where you represented me that was ultimately lost — even where we suffered a setback, you fought on, took it on appeal and won,” Chivayo wrote.
He also praised Uriri’s wife, saying she may have contributed to some of the legal arguments prepared at home.
“For all I know some of my impeccable and well articulated heads of arguments and pleas were drafted at home with her input,” he wrote.
Uriri, however, said his decision to reject the gifts was firm.
“We appreciate the generosity expressed and your acknowledgment of my past work. Our decision is nevertheless firm: we will not accept the vehicle or either of the cash gifts,” he said.
“We wish you well and trust that you will understand and respect our position.”
Uriri is the founder and chairman of the Zimbabwe Temple Bar, a chambers of advocates.
Chivayo has in the past two years made a series of high-value cash and vehicle gifts to celebrities, religious figures, sports personalities and other public figures, with the total value publicly announced running into tens of millions of United States dollars.
His gifts have included luxury vehicles, large cash payments and other high-value presents. While many recipients have publicly accepted the gifts, there have also been instances where beneficiaries have declined them.
Among those to reject a gift was Eunor Guti, wife of the late ZAOGA church founder Ezekiel Guti, who publicly turned down a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series VXR and US$250,000 cash as personal gifts from Chivayo. She later revealed that the church had also declined a $2 million donation from Chivayo, who made his fortune from state contracts.
Source: Top lawyer Uriri declines Chivayo’s $350k gift after public tribute – Zimbabwe News Now
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