Floyd Mayweather, a former world boxing champion, reportedly received a sizable payment from millionaire Scott Sakupwanya to attend a ZANU-PF campaign event in Zimbabwe on Thursday.
The opposition charged that the ruling party staged the boxing legend’s invitation as a ploy to win over young voters ahead of a general election next month, despite the fact that the ruling party claimed the offer was made to increase tourism in the nation.
In Mabvuku, one of Zimbabwe’s oldest townships and a suburb of the capital Harare, Mayweather was greeted with song and dance by ZANU PF party members.
Scott Sakupwanya, a gold mogul and one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s closest allies who is attempting to retake a parliamentary seat from the opposition, claimed to have invited Mayweather.
“People thought I was lying when I said I would bring Mayweather, but he is here. This shows that what I will promise in this election will come to pass,” Sakupwanya told newsmen at the rally.
An individual from Zimbabwe who lives in South Africa, however, asserted that Sakupwanya must have paid Mayweather at least $500,000 to get him to Zimbabwe.
The 46-year-old former boxer from the United States entertained the crowd with a workout that included jumping rope and punching in public. Additionally, he saw three bouts featuring Zimbabwe’s rising boxers.
At the event, some young people vowed to support Mnangagwa, 80, who is running for re-election on August 23.
“I am happy to see Mayweather here in Zimbabwe, it is his first time to come here. I am registered to vote, and I am going to vote for President Emmerson Mnangagwa,” 34-year-old White Marurame told Reuters.
The two major political parties, ZANU PF and the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), are anticipating that the youth vote would be a pivotal battleground.
The election will take place in the midst of a severe economic crisis, massive inflation, and a currency that fell more than 50% against the dollar last month.