By Zachary Gava
Harare, October 8, 2026 (New Ziana) – Funeral proceedings for businessman Wicknell Chivhayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, were underway at his Gletwyn home in Harare on Thursday, as relatives, friends and members of the public gathered to pay their final respects before the burial of the couple later in the afternoon.
According to the funeral programm, the proceedings began at 8am with the coffins being taken into the flower house, followed by speeches and prayers at 9AM while an early lunch was scheduled for 11AM, after which the funeral cortege would leave for Glen Forest Memorial Park at noon.
The programme indicates that mourners were expected to arrive at Glen Forest at 1PM, with the burial scheduled for 2PM, followed by a vote of thanks at 3PM, prayers at 3.30PM and departure from Glen Forest at 5PM.
The couple was expected to be laid to rest side by side, fulfilling plans that the family announced following their deaths.
Chivhayo and Muteke died on September 30 when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed at Kudenga Farm in the Marondera rural area, about 70 kilometres east of the capital, while coming from Gandami in Chikomba district, Mashonaland East province, where the couple had been visiting their rural home.
The crash claimed the lives of the couple, pilot Calvin Tafirei Soda, co-pilot Courage Mutavirwa and Muteke’s aide Sanelisiwe Magagula, who have all since been buried.
Early information from aviation authorities indicated that the helicopter impacted the ground, resulting in fuel spillage and a subsequent fire, but the exact cause of the crash has not yet been established as investigations continue.
Investigators have since recovered the wreckage for detailed forensic examination as authorities seek to establish what caused the helicopter to go down.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe has indicated that the investigation is ongoing, with further technical examination expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The deaths of the couple, particularly Wicknell, have attracted widespread attention across Zimbabwe and beyond, as he was a prominent businessman renowned for his high-profile lifestyle and philanthropic gestures.
New Ziana
