A private helicopter carrying six occupants crashed in Marondera rural, a district in Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, on Wednesday evening, September 30. The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the incident, which resulted in the deaths of prominent Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife Lucy Muteke. The police had not immediately released details about the cause of the crash or the circumstances surrounding the flight at the time of reporting.
Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of both Wicknell and Lucy in a statement to ZBC News, Zimbabwe's national broadcaster based in Harare. He described the family as completely overwhelmed by the news. The statement was among the first official responses from those close to the businessman and served to confirm that both Wicknell Chivayo and Lucy Muteke had died in the crash.
Wicknell Chivayo was a deeply influential and at times controversial figure in Zimbabwe's business landscape. He was widely known for his extravagant lifestyle and cultivated close relationships with prominent figures across the country's political and social circles. His death marks the loss of one of the most publicly visible personalities in contemporary Zimbabwean public life.
Zimbabwe Republic Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the crash took place and that the aircraft had six occupants on board at the time. No immediate information was released regarding the identities or conditions of the other passengers. The police had not released details about the cause of the crash or the circumstances surrounding the flight at the time of reporting.
Earlier this year, Wicknell Chivayo made headlines for his divorce settlement with his ex-wife, Sonja Louise Madzikanda. A Zimbabwean High Court ordered him to pay her a $5 million lump sum as part of the settlement, which also included a house and structured custody arrangements. The ruling brought an end to a long-running legal dispute that had frequently played out in the public domain.
Wicknell Chivayo and Sonja Madzikanda met and tied the knot in 2017 after he visited her family home for a traditional ceremony, and they separated in 2024, the same year that claims surfaced that the businessman had remarried. His death, along with his wife's, has sent shockwaves through Zimbabwe's business and social communities.
The news of Wicknell Chivayo's death has sparked an outpouring of tributes and condolences from across Zimbabwe and beyond. As one of the country's most prominent businessmen, his influence and legacy will be remembered for years to come. The incident is still under investigation, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.
Key points
- Wicknell Chivayo, a prominent Zimbabwean businessman, died in a helicopter crash in Marondera rural, Zimbabwe, on September 30, along with his wife Lucy Muteke.
- The cause of the crash and the circumstances surrounding the flight are still under investigation by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
- Wicknell Chivayo was a well-known figure in Zimbabwe's business landscape, famous for his extravagant lifestyle and close relationships with prominent figures.
