Advocate Dr Lewis Uriri has rejected a US$250,000 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography and US$100,000 in cash offered by Wicknell Chivayo in recognition of his past legal work, saying accepting the gifts could create a perception of financial obligation beyond a concluded professional relationship.

In his response to Chivayo, Uriri said he and his wife had carefully considered the offer before deciding to decline both the luxury vehicle and the cash gifts.

He said the decision was informed by the fact that he had not undertaken any professional work for Chivayo since June 2024 and that the legal work for which he was being recognised had been performed in his professional capacity and fully remunerated.

“For clarity, we last spoke in June 2024, and I have undertaken no professional work for you 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,” Uriri said.

Chivayo had publicly praised Uriri for his legal work and announced the gifts as a gesture of appreciation. According to the announcement, the package comprised a “2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography valued at US$250,000, US$50,000 in cash for fuel and a further US$50,000 for Uriri’s wife as a handbag allowance.”

Uriri said the offer had come without prior notice or discussion and therefore required him to consider the implications beyond the value of the gifts.

“Your announcement came as a complete surprise, without prior notice or discussion. 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,” he said.

The decision comes as Uriri is also part of the legal team working with constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku on challenges surrounding Constitutional Amendment Act No. 3, which, among other provisions, provides for a term extension.

Madhuku has publicly said that his legal team in matters concerning Constitutional Amendment No. 3 included Advocates Uriri and Tawanda Zhuwarara. The challenges have sought to contest aspects of the constitutional amendment, including provisions that allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030.

A July Constitutional Court challenge, for example, sought to have the enacted Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Act declared unconstitutional, with the applicant represented by Madhuku’s law firm.

Against that background, Uriri’s explanation for rejecting the Chivayo gifts places professional independence at the centre of his decision rather than the monetary value of the offer.

“Zimbabwe’s Legal Practitioners’ Code of Conduct requires us to preserve our integrity, safeguard our professional independence and maintain public confidence in the profession,” he said, adding that international legal principles similarly emphasise the independence of lawyers from conflicting personal interests.

“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,” Uriri said.

He said he and his wife placed importance on protecting their professional standing and public confidence in their independence.

“The independence reflected in your generous tribute is a responsibility I must continue to uphold,” he said.