A well-known businessman and his wife were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed east of Zimbabwe’s capital Harare on Wednesday, state broadcaster ZBC reported.
Wicknell Chivayo, a tycoon with close links to the ruling ZANU-PF party, and his wife Lucy Muteke died in the crash in Marondera rural area, about 72km east of Harare, family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed to ZBC.
Police said the crash happened at around 15:00.
The helicopter had just left the family home in Gandami, about 144km from Harare, when it went down.
“When it crashed, it burst into flames,” Herbert Chivayo told ZBC.
Confusion over victim numbers
The family spokesperson said five people were on board – two pilots, a security aide, Chivayo and his wife. However, police said in a statement on X that the helicopter carried six occupants.
Government spokesman Nick Mangwana confirmed the crash involved “one high-profile businessman, three other passengers, and two pilots.”
“Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” Mangwana said on X.
Police said they would confirm the identities of all victims in due course.
Flashy lifestyle drew attention
Chivayo (43) was one of the most visible figures in a new generation of wealthy businessmen with ties to Zimbabwe’s ruling party. His lavish lifestyle stood in sharp contrast to the economic struggles facing most Zimbabweans.
He built a public profile through displays of wealth on social media and high-profile giveaways that included luxury cars, cash and other gifts.
Weeks ago, he donated a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and a Maybach to a Zimbabwean preacher and his wife.
He had also given another church $2 million in cash, along with buses and cars, in a ceremony where he displayed bundles of banknotes on camera.
Business dealings sparked controversy
The businessman spent three years in jail around two decades ago following a money-laundering conviction.
His company Intratrek Zimbabwe won a government contract worth more than $170 million in 2015 to build a 100-megawatt solar plant in the south-western town of Gwanda.
The state-run power utility tried to cancel the deal because of delays. The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the contract was valid, and the government ordered last month that the project should go ahead.
Political connections
Chivayo’s close relationship with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF party, which has controlled the mineral-rich country since independence in 1980, fuelled criticism of his business success.
He also mixed with leaders outside Zimbabwe, including those from Eswatini, Kenya and Uganda.
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