Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife Lucy Muteke died on Wednesday evening when a helicopter crashed in Marondera Rural, Mashonaland East, about 70 kilometres east of Harare. All six people on board were killed. The aircraft went down around 5pm local time.
Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of Chivayo and Muteke to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said a high-profile businessman was among those on board and that there were no survivors. Police stated the bodies were badly burned and formal identification was required. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Chivayo, born 22 November 1982 and widely known as Sir Wicknell, was a flamboyant figure whose business empire centred on Intratrek Zimbabwe. His companies secured major state contracts in energy and infrastructure, including the long-delayed Gwanda solar project. He faced repeated legal scrutiny over advance payments and project delivery. Courts acquitted him of related charges in 2024.
He cultivated a highly visible relationship with Kenyan President William Ruto. Chivayo posted repeatedly about meetings at State House, Sagana and other presidential residences. In August 2026, after attending the traditional engagement ceremony of Ruto’s daughter Charlene at the president’s Kilgoris farm, Chivayo filmed and shared a video of Ruto personally driving him and his wife roughly three kilometres to a waiting helicopter.
Chivayo’s wealth and methods drew sustained controversy. He served a prison term in the mid-2000s after a fraud conviction. Later investigations linked him, through leaked recordings and South African financial intelligence reports, to large payments connected to the supply of election materials for Zimbabwe’s 2023 polls. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission stated in December 2025 that it found no evidence directly tying him to the transaction. He denied wrongdoing throughout and maintained that his fortune came from legitimate business.
His public style mixed large cash and vehicle donations with luxury cars, private jets and constant social media displays of wealth. Kenyan opposition figures had questioned the frequency and informality of his access to State House.
Authorities in Zimbabwe continue investigations into the crash. Formal identification of all victims and determination of the cause are still pending.
Ends