Prominent businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed near Marondera, about 70km east of Harare. The aircraft went down at around 17:00 local time; two of the six occupants were pilots and there were no survivors. Investigators recovered the black box and reported fuel spillage and a post-impact fire, but the official cause remains under investigation. Chivayo, 43, headed Intratrek Zimbabwe and had held high-profile state contracts; President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Kenyan President William Ruto offered condolences.
Zimbabwe Tycoon 'Sir Wicknell' and Wife Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Harare
Wicknell Chivayo was a prominent businessman known for his extravagant lifestyle [Wicknell Chivayo/Instagram]
Prominent Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed in the Marondera rural area on Wednesday evening, roughly 70km east of the capital, Harare, authorities and family members said.
Crash Details and Response
Police said the aircraft came down at about 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT) with six people on board and that there were no survivors. Government officials said two of the occupants were pilots. The group was travelling from Gandami in Chikomba, where the Chivayos were building a rural home, when the helicopter went down at Kudenga Farm about 40 minutes after take-off.
Emergency services were dispatched to the scene. Investigators recovered the helicopter's flight recorder (black box) and reported preliminary findings that fuel spilled on impact and a post-impact fire burned the grass around the crash site. Transport Minister Felix Mhona and aviation investigators visited the scene as a formal probe got under way.
[BBC]
Family Confirmation and Reactions
Herbert Chivayo, speaking for the family, confirmed to state broadcaster ZBC that 43-year-old Wicknell Chivayo and his wife had died, and said the family was devastated. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he had met Chivayo a day earlier and described the family as "consummately philanthropic," expressing shock at the sudden loss. Kenyan President William Ruto — who had appeared publicly with Chivayo in the past — paid tribute and offered condolences.
Who Was Wicknell Chivayo?
Chivayo was the managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe and had a high public profile through government contracts, visible philanthropy and conspicuous displays of wealth on social media. One of Intratrek's most prominent contracts was a $172 million solar power project in Gwanda awarded by the state-owned Zimbabwe Power Company, which later became the subject of prolonged legal disputes.
He also attracted scrutiny over procurement linked to Zimbabwe's contested 2023 elections. Zimbabwe's anti-corruption commission investigated allegations related to contracts awarded to the South African firm Ren-Form but closed the inquiry in 2025, saying it found no evidence linking Chivayo or the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to wrongdoing.
Public Persona
Widely known by the nickname "Sir Wicknell," he frequently used the title publicly and on social media despite never receiving a British knighthood. He often publicised the distribution of luxury cars and cash gifts to musicians, religious leaders and other figures.
Investigation Ongoing: Authorities said a full forensic and technical investigation, including detailed analysis of the flight recorder and the crash site, will continue as officials work to determine the cause of the accident.
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