Wicknell Chivayo, a Zimbabwean billionaire and businessman, along with his wife Lucy Muteke, lost their lives in a helicopter crash that killed six people.
On Wednesday evening, the helicopter went down in a rural part of Marondera, roughly 70km east of Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital.
BBC reports that Zimbabwean police stated the aircraft was carrying six people when it crashed at around 5pm local time, and government officials later confirmed that no one survived.
Herbert Chivayo, a spokesperson for the family, verified the deaths of the businessman and his wife to Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster, ZBC.
“We are at a loss for words after the tragic news,” he said.
ZBC reports that the couple had been travelling from Gandami in Chikomba, where they were constructing a rural home, when the helicopter went down at Kudenga Farm roughly 40 minutes after taking off.
What caused the crash was not immediately clear, and police stated that investigations were in progress.
Zimbabwean government spokesman Nick Mangwana had already confirmed the crash, noting that 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 said in a post on X.
Chivayo served as managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe and gained widespread recognition for his extravagant lifestyle, charitable giving, and prominent connections throughout Africa.
A $172m solar power project in Gwanda, granted to Intratrek by the state-owned Zimbabwe Power Company, stood out as one of his most notable business ventures. In the years that followed, the project became the focus of lengthy legal battles.
He likewise came under scrutiny regarding the procurement of materials for Zimbabwe’s contested 2023 elections.
The country’s anti-corruption commission looked into allegations concerning contracts awarded to the South African firm Ren-Form but shut down the inquiry in 2025, stating that it had uncovered no evidence tying Chivayo or the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to any wrongdoing.
Chivayo also drew attention for handing luxury cars and substantial amounts of money to musicians, religious leaders, and other public figures, with many of these gifts shared widely on social media.
His ties reached beyond Zimbabwe, as Kenyan President William Ruto called him a “dear friend” in a condolence message after his death.
“I will remember him for his friendship, his energy, and his deep conviction in the possibilities of our continent,” Ruto said.
Chivayo often posted pictures of his meetings with African leaders, among them Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, and Eswatini’s King Mswati III.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the crash and who the other victims were.
