Zimbabwean authorities have launched an investigation into a helicopter crash that killed prominent businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife and four others near the capital, Harare.
The crash occurred on Wednesday in the Marondera rural area, about 72 kilometres east of Harare, at around 1500 GMT, according to police.
Chivayo, 43, and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were among the six people on board the helicopter, state broadcaster ZBC reported, citing a family spokesperson, Herbert Chivayo.
The aircraft had reportedly departed from the family’s home in Gandami, about 144 kilometres from Harare, before crashing and bursting into flames.
Herbert Chivayo said the passengers included the businessman, his wife, a security aide and two pilots.
Police confirmed that six people were aboard but initially withheld the identities of those killed.
Government spokesman Nick Mangwana said the aircraft was carrying “one high-profile businessman, three other passengers, and two pilots”, adding that preliminary information indicated there were no survivors.
He said authorities would release the identities of the victims after they had been formally confirmed.
Chivayo was one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent businessmen and was widely known for his lavish lifestyle and close links to members of the ruling ZANU-PF party.
His social media presence featured displays of wealth and high-value gifts, including luxury vehicles and large cash donations.
Weeks before his death, he reportedly donated a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and a Maybach to a Zimbabwean preacher and his wife.
He had also donated $2 million in cash, as well as buses and cars, to another church in a ceremony where he was filmed displaying bundles of banknotes.
Chivayo’s business and political connections extended beyond Zimbabwe, and he had been photographed with leaders from countries including Eswatini, Kenya and Uganda.
His relationship with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF establishment had also drawn public scrutiny, particularly amid Zimbabwe’s economic difficulties.
Chivayo’s company, Intratrek Zimbabwe, secured a government contract worth more than $170 million in 2015 to construct a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Gwanda, southwestern Zimbabwe.
The state-owned power utility later sought to terminate the contract over delays. However, Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the agreement remained valid, and the government directed last month that the project should proceed.
Chivayo had previously spent three years in prison about two decades ago after being convicted of money laundering.
Authorities have yet to disclose the cause of Wednesday’s crash, as investigations continue.
