Zimbabwe helicopter crash kills businessman Wicknell Chivayo and five others
Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed in Marondera, east of Harare, police and government officials said. The aircraft went down shortly after taking off from Chikomba. Authorities said there were no survivors and that the cause was under investigation.
Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed in a helicopter crash in Zimbabwe, police and government officials said. The aircraft crashed at about 5pm on Wednesday in the Marondera rural area, approximately 70km east of Harare. Government spokesman Nick Mangwana said it 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. Police said the helicopter had six occupants. Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of the businessman and his wife to Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster, ZBC.
He said the family was “at a loss for words” after the incident. According to ZBC, the couple had been travelling from Gandami in Chikomba, where they were building a rural home. The helicopter crashed at Kudenga Farm about 40 minutes after take-off.
Authorities had not established the cause of the crash. Police said investigations were continuing, while officials were also working to confirm the identities of the other victims. Chivayo was managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe and was known for his wealth, philanthropy and public connections.
The company was awarded a $172m solar power project in Gwanda by the state-owned Zimbabwe Power Company, a project that later became the subject of prolonged legal disputes. He also faced scrutiny over election-related procurement allegations. Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption commission closed its investigation in 2025, saying it found no evidence linking Chivayo or the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to wrongdoing.
Kenyan President William Ruto described Chivayo as a “dear friend” in a condolence message.
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