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Zimbabwean billionaire, Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, have died after a private helicopter they were traveling in crashed in eastern Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Family spokesman Herbert Chivayo said the couple was traveling with four others when the helicopter crashed in Marondera, the capital of Mashonaland East province, east of the capital Harare.
“We are at a loss for words after the tragic news,” he told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
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. We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the victims, their families and their friends during this difficult time,” Mangwana said on US social media company X.
Zimbabwe police spokesman, Paul Nyathi also confirmed the crash, saying six people were on board the helicopter.
Chivayo, 42, was a prominent businessman known for his extravagant lifestyle and also had close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).
Here are key facts about Wicknell Chivayo:
1. Chivayo was born on 22 November 1982 and grew up in the Gandami area of Chivhu, Mashonaland East.
2. His father, Isaac Mathias Chivayo, died in a car accident when Chivayo was approximately ten years old, after which he was raised by his mother.
3. He attended Dudley Hall Primary School and subsequently Churchill Boys High School for his secondary education.
4. He left school in 1996 and worked as a wages clerk at a local bus company before becoming involved in illegal foreign currency exchange at the Union Avenue Flea Market (now Kwame Nkrumah Avenue).
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5. Chivayo was the founder and managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, a company that has secured government contracts in the energy and infrastructure sectors and has also been associated with IMC Communications, a telecommunications company.
6. He was a publicly declared supporter of ZANU-PF and stated his backing for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, including publicly endorsing calls for Mnangagwa to serve beyond constitutional term limits.
7. In January 2025, Chivayo publicly criticised Acting President Constantino Chiwenga, describing him as a “failed politician” following Chiwenga’s public remarks on corruption within ZANU-PF.
8. In February 2025, Chivayo was reported to have developed close ties with Kenyan President William Ruto, with media reports describing him as a frequent presence within the president’s circle and noting his growing connections to the Kenyan presidency.
9. In June 2026, Chivayo’s company, IMC Construction Kenya, secured a stake in the proposed US$2.9 billion expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after being included as a joint-venture partner by a Chinese consortium led by China Communications Construction Company.
10. Chivayo was publicly known for high-value gifts made to musicians, journalists, sports organisations, and security forces and an investigation by Zimbabwean media reported that he spent over US$9.3 million on luxury cars and gifts within a twelve-month period.
11. Reported gifts include a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser VXR and US$100,000 in cash to broadcaster Reuben Barwe in May 2025, a 2025 Range Rover Autobiography and US$150,000 in cash to musician Jah Prayzah in May 2025, vehicles totalling R7.2 million to Zimbabwe Football Association president Nqobile Magwizi across two occasions in 2025 and 2026, R10.4 million and a bus to Highlanders F.C. ahead of the 2026 season, and 20 luxury vehicles and US$2 million to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Zimbabwe Republic Police, and Zimbabwe Prisons Service in December 2025.
12. In January 2025, Chivayo was accused of attempting to influence Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) elections by promising vehicles and financial incentives to voters, however, he denied the allegations.
13. Chivayo purportedly sponsored Scottland F.C., winners of the 2025 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League, to the amount of US$1 million.
On September 30, 2026, Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, were among six people killed in a helicopter crash in Marondera, Zimbabwe.
The aircraft, carrying two pilots and four passengers, went down at approximately 17:09 CAT and a government spokesperson confirmed there were no survivors.
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