A crash near Marondera in Zimbabwe killed all six people on board on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, with family members and local media reports identifying businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke among the dead, while police formal identification of the victims remained pending.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police said the crash occurred in Marondera Rural area at about 5pm. Police described the incident as a plane crash.
“The ZRP confirms a plane crash in Marondera Rural area at 1700 hours this evening. The aircraft had six occupants. More details will be released in due course as the scene is currently being attended,” the police said.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed the crash and said there were no survivors.
“The government wishes to confirm that a helicopter crash has occurred, involving one high-profile businessman, three other passengers, and two pilots,” Mangwana said.
“Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash.”
Authorities did not initially release the names of all the victims or disclose the circumstances of the crash. Police withheld identities as they worked to formally identify those killed. Reports from the scene said the bodies were badly burned, making identification more difficult.
CITEZW reported that family members and multiple local media reports identified Chivayo and Muteke among those killed. K24 reported, citing a family spokesperson, that the deaths had been confirmed following the crash. The official police identification of the victims, including Chivayo and Muteke, was still pending at the time of the initial reports.
The cause of the crash, the aircraft’s departure point and its intended destination were not immediately disclosed. Emergency teams attended the scene.
Business empire and legal history
Chivayo was the founder of Intratrek Zimbabwe, a company involved in renewable energy projects including solar and hydroelectric power developments.
He became widely known through Intratrek and the long-running Gwanda Solar Project, a 100-megawatt solar project that attracted considerable public scrutiny.
In 2023, Chivayo and Intratrek were acquitted of charges alleging they defrauded the Zimbabwe Power Company of US$5.8 million. A Harare magistrate ruled that the State had failed to establish the charges.
He was known for extraordinary displays of wealth, expensive cars, large cash gifts and a highly visible social media presence. He routinely announced gifts of vehicles and money to musicians, religious figures, football personalities and other public figures.
According to reports, on the morning of 30 September, hours before the crash, Chivayo announced gifts to two lawyers. Reports indicated that senior lawyer Wilson Tatenda Manase was to receive a new 2026 Lexus GX 550 valued at about US$220,000 plus US$250,000 in cash, while Advocate Sylvester Hashiti was to receive a new 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography and US$500,000 in cash. CITEZW put the combined value of the announced gifts at approximately US$1.47 million, a figure that reflects the source’s estimate and does not account for the value of the second vehicle.
The announcements came days after another prominent lawyer, Advocate Lewis Uriri, rejected an earlier offer from Chivayo of a new 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography and US$100,000 in cash. Chivayo subsequently said there was “no fight, no grudge and no drama” between the two men, as quoted by CITEZW.
Kenyan ties and JKIA allegations
Chivayo’s public profile extended beyond Zimbabwe. He was publicly documented meeting several African presidents, including Kenya’s William Ruto, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema. He was also reported to have met Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu, Malawi’s Peter Mutharika and Lazarus Chakwera, and Mozambique’s Daniel Chapo.
In August 2026, Chivayo attended the traditional engagement ceremony for President Ruto’s daughter, Charlene Ruto, at the Ruto family’s Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County. The Star reported on 11 August 2026 that President Ruto personally drove Chivayo to a helipad after the ceremony.
Chivayo recorded the moment on video. “I am being driven by the President of Kenya,” he said, according to The Star. “Being driven by the President of the Republic. Ah no no. God is the greatest.”
His frequent access to Ruto attracted attention in Kenyan media, with some outlets referring to him as the President’s “new Zimbabwean BFF”.
Allegations that his company had a role in a proposed expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) were denied by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir at a press briefing in Nairobi on 18 June 2026.
“We wish to clarify that the company referred to in those reports did not participate in this procurement process as a bidder and has no role, involvement or association whatsoever with this project,” Chirchir said.
Chirchir also rejected a reported Sh375 billion cost figure for the project.
“The figure of Sh375 billion is two and a half times the cost that we do not expect to exceed,” he said. He said the project cost would not exceed Sh154.2 billion.
The CS said bidding for the JKIA project closed on 14 May 2026 and that no contract had been awarded and no agreement signed, as the procuring entity awaited an evaluation report from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.
“As we speak today, we don’t have an award. We could have an intention to award, but the process is still ongoing in line with the requirements of the law,” Chirchir said.
The JKIA modernisation project includes upgrading the airfield, renovating the existing terminal and constructing a new passenger terminal. The current terminal’s capacity is set to increase from 7.5 million to 12 million passengers annually, while the new terminal will accommodate an additional 10 million passengers, bringing total capacity to 22 million passengers per year.
To finance the project, the government has engaged Trade Development Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation as lead arrangers. The funding model will rely on airport-generated revenues and will be structured off the government’s balance sheet.
Police said more details on the Marondera crash would be released as investigations continue.
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