Prominent Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, have been killed in a helicopter crash that claimed six lives.
The helicopter crashed in the Marondera rural area, about 70km (43 miles) east of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, on Wednesday evening.
Police said all six people on board died.
Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of the businessman and his wife to state broadcaster ZBC.
“We are at a loss for words after the tragic news,” the family spokesperson told the ZBC.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the aircraft crashed at about 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT) and had six occupants.
Two of those on board were pilots, according to government officials.
ZBC reported that the group was travelling from Gandami in Chikomba, where Chivayo and his wife were building a rural home, when the helicopter crashed at Kudenga Farm about 40 minutes after take-off.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Police said investigations were under way, while emergency services were sent to the scene on Wednesday evening.
Earlier, government spokesman Nick Mangwana confirmed the crash, saying 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 posted on X.
Chivayo was the managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe and had built a high public profile through government contracts, philanthropy and displays of wealth on social media.
One of his best-known business ventures was a $172m (£128m) solar power project in Gwanda, awarded to Intratrek by the state-owned Zimbabwe Power Company.
The project became the subject of years of legal disputes.
Chivayo also came under scrutiny over the procurement of materials for Zimbabwe’s disputed 2023 elections.
Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption commission investigated allegations surrounding contracts awarded to South African company Ren-Form but closed the inquiry in 2025, saying it had found no evidence linking Chivayo or the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to wrongdoing.
Chivayo, widely known as “Sir Wicknell”, frequently used the title publicly and on social media, although he was never given a British knighthood.
He was also known for giving luxury cars and large sums of money to musicians, religious leaders and other public figures, often publicising the gifts on social media.
His connections extended beyond Zimbabwe.
Kenyan President William Ruto, who had previously appeared in public with Chivayo, paid tribute to him as a “dear friend” and sent condolences to the families of those killed.
“I will remember him for his friendship, his energy and his deep conviction in the possibilities of our continent,” Ruto added.
Kenyan opposition figures had questioned Chivayo’s repeated access to Ruto and State House.
Chivayo frequently publicised his access to African leaders, posting photographs of meetings with presidents including Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa and Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, as well as Eswatini’s King Mswati III.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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