Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed in Marondera, east of the capital Harare, on Wednesday.
The crash occurred at around 3pm GMT in the Gandami area, approximately 72 kilometres (45 miles) east of Harare, according to Zimbabwean police and state broadcaster ZBC.
Government spokesman Nick Mangwana confirmed that six people were aboard the helicopter—two pilots and four passengers—and said there were no survivors.
“The government wishes to confirm that a helicopter crash has occurred, involving one high-profile businessman, three other passengers, and two pilots,” Mangwana said in a statement posted on X.
“Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” he added.
Chivayo’s family spokesperson, Herbert Chivayo, confirmed to ZBC that the businessman and his wife were among those killed.
He said the helicopter had departed from the family’s home in Gandami before crashing and bursting into flames.
“When it crashed, it burst into flames,” Herbert Chivayo said.
He initially described those aboard as Chivayo, his wife, a security aide and two pilots, although authorities said six people were on board.
Police said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and would release the identities of the other victims.
Who was Wicknell Chivayo?
Chivayo, 43, was one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent and controversial businessmen, known for his lavish lifestyle, high-profile charitable donations and links to influential figures within the ruling ZANU-PF party.
His wealth and public profile frequently attracted attention on social media, where he showcased luxury vehicles, expensive gifts and large cash donations.
In recent weeks, Chivayo reportedly donated a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and a Maybach to a Zimbabwean preacher and his wife.
He had also donated $2 million in cash, as well as buses and vehicles, to another church during a ceremony at which he was filmed displaying large bundles of banknotes.
His conspicuous displays of wealth contrasted sharply with Zimbabwe’s long-running economic challenges, making him a widely recognised figure beyond the country’s business circles.
Chivayo’s political connections also attracted scrutiny. He was known to have close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and figures within ZANU-PF, which has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.
Business and Legal History
Chivayo was the founder of Intratrek Zimbabwe, an energy-sector contracting company.
In 2015, the company secured a government contract worth more than $170 million to construct a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Gwanda, southwestern Zimbabwe.
The project later became the subject of a legal dispute after Zimbabwe’s state power utility sought to terminate the contract over delays.
In 2023, Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court ruled that the contract remained valid. The government subsequently directed that the project should proceed.
Chivayo had also spent about three years in prison roughly two decades ago after being convicted in a money-laundering case.
Despite his controversial past, he continued to build a high-profile public persona and developed relationships with influential political, religious and business figures both in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa.
The helicopter crash has since drawn widespread attention in Zimbabwe, with authorities expected to conduct investigations to establish what caused the aircraft to go down and identify all those who died.
Police and government officials said further details would be released as investigations continue.
