Prominent Businessman, Wife Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash

Prominent Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, have been confirmed dead following a helicopter crash that claimed six lives in the Marondera rural area, about 70 kilometres east of the capital, Harare.

The helicopter crashed at Kudenga Farm on Wednesday evening, shortly after taking off from Gandami in Chikomba, where Chivayo and his wife were reportedly constructing a rural home.

Police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said the aircraft crashed at approximately 17:00 local time, with all six occupants on board confirmed dead. Two of the victims were pilots, according to government officials.

A family spokesperson, Herbert Chivayo, confirmed the deaths of the 43-year-old businessman and his wife to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), describing the incident as a devastating tragedy for the family.

“We are at a loss for words after the tragic news,” he said.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana had earlier confirmed the crash, stating that the helicopter was carrying a prominent businessman, three other passengers and two pilots.

“Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” Mangwana wrote on X.

The cause of the accident remains unknown, with authorities launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

On Thursday, aviation officials, led by Transport Minister Felix Mhona, visited the crash site, where investigators recovered the aircraft’s black box intact.

George Mashababe, Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, said preliminary findings indicated that fuel spilled upon impact, triggering a fire that burnt the surrounding grass.

“The cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained,” he said.

Chivayo, popularly known as “Sir Wicknell”, was a high-profile businessman whose lavish lifestyle, philanthropy, political connections and lucrative government contracts frequently attracted public attention.

He was the managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe and built much of his business career around government contracts after serving several years in prison following a 2004 fraud conviction.

One of his most notable business ventures was a $172 million solar power project in Gwanda, awarded to Intratrek by the state-owned Zimbabwe Power Company. The project subsequently became embroiled in years of legal disputes.

He also attracted scrutiny over the procurement of materials for Zimbabwe’s disputed 2023 elections. The country’s anti-corruption commission investigated allegations relating to contracts awarded to South African company Ren-Form but closed the inquiry in 2025, stating that it had found no evidence linking Chivayo or the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to wrongdoing.

Chivayo consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing associated with his business dealings.

Beyond business, he was widely recognised for his extravagant displays of wealth and charitable activities, frequently giving luxury vehicles and substantial sums of money to musicians, religious leaders and other prominent personalities, which he often publicised on social media.

His connections extended to several African leaders, with photographs of his meetings with presidents, including Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan and Kenya’s William Ruto, frequently appearing on his social media platforms.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed shock over the tragedy, revealing that he had met Chivayo just a day before his death following a Cabinet meeting, during which the businessman shared some of his plans for Zimbabwe.

“We are all shattered by this unexpected, sudden demise of so young a family,” Mnangagwa said.

Describing Chivayo as “consummately philanthropic”, the President said his family had touched numerous lives through acts of charity and generosity.

He added that the businessman’s death had left him personally numbed and in great shock.

Kenyan President William Ruto also paid tribute to Chivayo, whom he described as a dear friend, while extending condolences to the families of all those who died in the crash.

“I will remember him for his friendship, his energy and his deep conviction in the possibilities of our continent,” Ruto said.

Chivayo’s frequent access to President Ruto and Kenya’s State House had previously attracted questions from Kenyan opposition figures.

Authorities are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal helicopter crash, which has claimed the lives of all six occupants.