01/10/2026
🚨 BREAKING | Zimbabwe tycoon Wicknell Chivayo dies in helicopter crash 🇿🇼
Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, popularly known as "Sir Wicknell", has died at 45. He and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when a private helicopter crashed in Marondera, east of Harare, on Wednesday evening. Police said there were no survivors, and the family has confirmed the deaths.
💰 The wealth
Chivayo rose from a modest upbringing in Chivhu, where he lost his father as a boy, to become one of Zimbabwe's most visible tycoons, built largely on government tenders and energy and construction projects. He was just as famous for his generosity: lavish gifts of cars and cash to musicians, journalists, sports bodies and security forces made him a constant presence on social media.
⚖️ The controversies
His career was never far from scandal. He was arrested in 2011 on fraud and money laundering charges, and again in 2018 over alleged bribery. His biggest storm was the Gwanda Solar project and the advance payment tied to it, which led to several rounds of prosecution. He was acquitted in 2024, and in December 2025 the anti-corruption commission said it found no evidence directly implicating him in a separate transaction. To admirers he was a self-made success; to critics he was a symbol of political connections and state contracts.
🤝 The friends in high places
Chivayo openly backed Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF and moved easily in power circles. In recent years he also built a close friendship with Kenya's President William Ruto, becoming a regular guest at State House and national events. Ruto has mourned him as a "dear friend whose warmth touched many people."
Whatever people thought of him, few Zimbabweans were neutral about Wicknell Chivayo. Our condolences to the families of all those who perished. 🕯️
