The family of Lucy "Lulu" Muteke gathered to share memories of the woman they knew long before she became one of Zimbabwe's most talked-about public figures. Lulu's sister, dressed in a maroon dress, broke down in tears while speaking at a family gathering, recounting a memory that left everyone in the room emotional. Her tribute painted a picture of Lulu not as the glamorous figure who appeared on social media alongside billionaire Wicknell Chivayo, but as the youngest daughter from Marondera who had always been the baby of the family.
Lulu's sister struggled to compose herself as an older family member placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She recalled Lulu's announcement that she was ready to walk down the aisle, saying "She was like a baby to me. From the time she was born we have so many memories all the way up until the day." The sister's tribute drew both laughter and more tears from those gathered as she shared memories of Lulu's joyful engagement to Wicknell Chivayo.
Lulu first appeared in the public eye in late 2024, when Chivayo began sharing photographs of a mystery woman on social media, shielding her identity while referring to her as his girlfriend. He was at that point finalising his divorce from his first wife, Sonja Madzikanda. The mystery ended in December 2024 when Chivayo's sister, Moreblessings Vanessa Chivayo, referred to the woman as "Amai Wicky" in a video, confirming her identity as Lucy Muteke.
The couple moved fast, with a holiday at Matetsi Victoria Falls followed by a proposal in early 2025, and then an introduction to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House, where Chivayo referred to Lulu as his "soon-to-be wife." By March 2025, the two had married in a traditional ceremony at her family home in Marondera, followed by a religious ceremony in the Johane Masowe eChishanu church, complete with performances from top Zimbabwean entertainers.
Before her marriage to Chivayo, Lulu had quietly built a name for herself in fashion circles as a model, influencer and personal shopper associated with brands including Glow Envy Skincare. Her union with Chivayo lasted just over a year, ending with a tragic helicopter crash on September 30 in Marondera Rural, not far from where the couple had held their traditional wedding and where they were overseeing construction of their rural home.
Zimbabwean authorities confirmed that no one survived the helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of six people, including Chivayo, who was 43, and Lulu. Chivayo is survived by two children from his first marriage, son John Chenjera Chivayo, born in 2018, and daughter Atarah Minana Chivayo, born in 2019. The tributes from Lulu's family made one thing clear: she will be remembered as Lulu, the baby sister who once came home bursting with joy, ready to say yes to her marriage.
The article was published on October 8, 2026, at 8:00 PM by Patricia Tonui, a journalist and entertainment editor at TUKO.co.ke. Patricia has a five-year experience working in digital media and was a Broadcast Journalism student at the University of Nairobi, class of 2022.
Key points
- Lulu Muteke's sister recalls her joyful engagement to Wicknell Chivayo.
- Lulu Muteke and Wicknell Chivayo got married in March 2025.
- Lulu Muteke and Wicknell Chivayo died in a helicopter crash on September 30.
