Controversial Zimbabwean tycoon Wicknell Chivayo reported dead in helicopter crash

Wicknell Chivayo, the Zimbabwean businessman known for his lavish lifestyle and his ties to government contracts, died on Wednesday when a helicopter crashed in the Marondera Rural area east of Harare, according to local media reports. His wife, Lucy Muteke, known as Lulu, was also among the six people killed, ZimLive reported.

The government confirmed the crash but did not name the victims. "The government wishes to confirm that a helicopter crash has occurred, involving one high-profile businessman, three other passengers, and two pilots," Nick Mangwana, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, said in a statement. "Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash."

Mangwana said the Zimbabwe Republic Police would release the victims' names in due course. The police said the aircraft went down at about 5 p.m. and had six people on board.

ZimLive, the Zimbabwean news site, was the first to report that Chivayo had died in the crash. NewZimbabwe.com and Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono also reported that Chivayo and his wife were killed.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Police officers were at the scene, and authorities said further details would be released once they had been established.

The government extended its condolences to the victims' families. "We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the victims, their families, and their friends during this difficult time," Mangwana said.

A controversial fortune

Chivayo, 45, was one of Zimbabwe's best-known and most divisive businessmen. Born on Nov. 22, 1980, in Chivhu, he made his name through state contracts and a very public display of wealth, including expensive cars and large gifts to musicians, journalists, sports organizations and members of the security forces. His admirers called him "Sir Wicknell."

He was a declared supporter of the ruling ZANU-PF party, and critics accused him of profiting from his closeness to the government. He repeatedly denied wrongdoing and defended his wealth and philanthropy.

His business career was shadowed by legal battles. In 2011, he was arrested on eight counts of fraud and money laundering. He later faced several rounds of prosecution over an advance payment for the Gwanda Solar Project, a state power contract awarded to his company Intratrek Zimbabwe, and was finally acquitted in 2024. In December 2025, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission said it had found no evidence directly implicating him in a separate transaction it had investigated.

In recent years, Chivayo had expanded beyond Zimbabwe. He was reported to have built close ties with Kenyan President William Ruto, and in June his company IMC Construction Kenya secured a stake in a proposed $2.9 billion infrastructure expansion in Kenya.

He had remained publicly active in the weeks before the crash, including on social media, where he regularly posted about his cars, gifts and business deals to a large following.