Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, known for his political connections, extravagant lifestyle and multimillion-dollar giveaways, has died along with his wife and four others in a helicopter crash near the capital Harare, prompting an investigation into the cause of the accident and condolences from political leaders across Africa.
Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among six people killed when the helicopter crashed in the Marondera rural area, east of Harare, on Wednesday evening. Authorities said there were no survivors. The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe has begun investigating the crash, with the aircraft's black box recovered for examination.
Fiery crash near Harare
Preliminary observations by aviation authorities indicated that the helicopter struck the ground and spilled fuel, which subsequently caught fire and burned the surrounding grass.
The cause of the initial impact, however, has not been established. Investigators and forensic specialists remained at the site on Thursday, examining the wreckage and attempting to reconstruct the aircraft's final moments.
Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo said identification of the victims had been particularly difficult because of the severity of the impact and subsequent fire. The remains were being handled by forensic specialists before funeral arrangements could proceed.
The helicopter crashed at Kudenga Farm in the Marondera area after taking off from Gandami in Chikomba district, where Chivayo and his wife were building a rural home.
Black box recovered
Zimbabwe's state broadcaster reported that investigators had recovered the aircraft's black box intact. The device is expected to provide information that could help determine what happened before the helicopter went down.
The Civil Aviation Authority cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation was completed. Its preliminary assessment was limited to what happened after the aircraft made contact with the ground, including the fuel spill and fire.
There were differing early accounts about the precise number and identities of those aboard, but Zimbabwean police said the aircraft had six occupants. Authorities continued forensic work at the site on Thursday.
President mourns close ally
Chivayo was closely associated with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and frequently published photographs of himself meeting senior political leaders.
Mnangagwa said he was “numbed” by Chivayo's death and described the businessman as “consummately philanthropic”.
The relationship with Mnangagwa was only one part of Chivayo's extensive network among African political leaders. His social media accounts regularly featured photographs and videos with presidents and senior officials from across the continent.
Among those he had publicly met were Kenya's William Ruto, Tanzania's Samia Suluhu Hassan, Uganda's Yoweri Museveni and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu.
Ruto, who described Chivayo as a “dear friend”, was among the African leaders to publicly mourn his death.
A life lived in public
Chivayo, 43, cultivated an unusually visible public persona built around wealth, philanthropy and access to political power.
Rolls-Royces, private aircraft, designer clothing, expensive watches and international shopping trips were recurring features of his social media posts. But it was his practice of giving away high-value gifts that became one of the defining features of his public image.
Over the years, he gave luxury cars, buses, cash and other expensive gifts to musicians, sports personalities, church leaders, politicians and social media personalities. The presentations were frequently documented and published online.
In one of his final social media posts, uploaded just hours before the crash, Chivayo displayed two luxury vehicles that he said he was giving to two of his lawyers, along with USD 750,000 in cash.
He ended the post with the words, “Saved the best for last.”
Friends in high places
His political access extended well beyond Zimbabwe. Chivayo often used social media to document dinners, meetings and informal encounters with African heads of state.
In August, he posted a video showing Kenyan President William Ruto driving him towards a helicopter after they attended a traditional engagement ceremony involving Ruto's daughter.
Chivayo wrote that despite having enjoyed many extraordinary experiences in his “opulent lifestyle”, it was the first time he had experienced something similar. The video showed the two men laughing, with Muteke sitting in the back.
Such encounters reinforced Chivayo's image as a businessman with access to some of Africa's most powerful political figures.
Business record drew scrutiny
Alongside his wealth and philanthropy, Chivayo's business dealings had repeatedly attracted public scrutiny in Zimbabwe.
He secured several government contracts over the years, some of which became the subject of controversy and allegations of wrongdoing. Certain allegations were investigated or brought before courts but were dismissed or did not result in findings against him.
His supporters pointed to his business success and extensive philanthropy, while critics questioned the source of his wealth and his proximity to political power.
That division was evident following news of his death.
Death draws divided reaction
While government officials, political leaders and many supporters mourned Chivayo, reactions on Zimbabwean social media were sharply divided.
Some users openly celebrated his death, linking their anger to his displays of extraordinary wealth at a time when many Zimbabweans face severe economic pressures and to controversies surrounding his government-linked business dealings.
The reaction prompted criticism from others who argued that political or economic grievances did not justify celebrating a person's death.
Opposition lawmaker Chalton Hwende was among those who condemned such responses, questioning why people would celebrate another person's death and describing the reaction as contrary to African values.
The contrasting responses reflected the complicated public image Chivayo had built — celebrated by some for generosity and success, but viewed by others as a symbol of the intersection of wealth, business and political influence.
For investigators, however, the immediate question is narrower. With the wreckage secured and the black box recovered, Zimbabwean aviation authorities are now working to establish why the helicopter went down, turning a routine flight from Chivayo's rural home into a crash that killed everyone aboard.