Prominent Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife were among six people killed when a helicopter crashed in Marondera district, northeast of Harare, on Wednesday evening, authorities and family representatives confirmed.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said the helicopter was carrying four passengers and two crew members when it went down in Mashonaland East province.
“Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” Mangwana said in a statement posted on X.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said emergency responders remained at the scene and efforts were under way to identify the victims whose bodies were badly burned in a post-crash fire.
State broadcaster ZBC News, citing a family spokesperson, reported that Chivayo, 43, and his wife were among those killed.
Family representative Herbert Chivayo later confirmed the deaths, describing the loss as devastating for those close to the couple.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known and authorities said investigations were continuing.
Chivayo was one of Zimbabwe’s most high-profile and controversial businessmen, known as much for his lavish public displays of wealth as for his close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF establishment.
Over recent years, he built a large social media following by giving away luxury vehicles, cash and other gifts to musicians, church leaders, politicians, sports personalities and ordinary Zimbabweans.
Supporters hailed the donations as philanthropy, while critics questioned the source of the wealth that funded the often-publicised handouts.
His lifestyle, which included fleets of luxury vehicles and frequent displays of opulence, attracted widespread public scrutiny amid persistent questions about the origins of his fortune.
Although Chivayo repeatedly defended the legitimacy of his business interests, his wealth remained a subject of intense public debate.
He was also associated with several lucrative government-linked contracts and became a polarising figure in Zimbabwean public life.
Allegations relating to public procurement and political financing in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the region fuelled further controversy although he denied wrongdoing.
Despite the criticism, Chivayo maintained close links with political and business elites across southern Africa and regularly shared photographs of private meetings with regional leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenyan President William Ruto, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Eswatini’s King Mswati III.
The deaths of Chivayo and his wife are likely to trigger renewed debate over his business empire, political connections and legacy as one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent and divisive public figures.
JN/APA