Wicknell Chivayo, the flamboyant Zimbabwean businessman known for his lavish lifestyle and high-profile connections, was married to Lucy “Lulu” Muteke Chivayo at the time of his death. The couple died together on September 30, 2026, when their helicopter crashed in Marondera, Zimbabwe.
The crash claimed six lives and left a nation in mourning, but it also brought renewed attention to the woman who stood beside one of Zimbabwe’s most controversial public figures in his final years. Lulu Muteke was not merely an accessory to her husband’s fame. She had built her own career in fashion and luxury retail before stepping into the public eye as Mrs. Chivayo.
Who Was Lulu Muteke?
Lucy “Lulu” Muteke Chivayo rose from Zimbabwe’s fashion and lifestyle circles to become the wife of one of the country’s most recognizable businessmen. Before her marriage, she was known as a model, influencer, and personal shopper. She worked in the luxury fashion and lifestyle space and was associated with brands including Glow Envy Skincare.
Much of her early life remained private, with limited publicly available information about her childhood and family. She entered the spotlight in late 2024 after Chivayo began sharing photos of a woman whose identity he initially kept private. He referred to her as his girlfriend, sparking curiosity about who she was.
She was later identified as Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, with Chivayo’s sister publicly referring to her as “Amai Wicky”. The relationship quickly progressed, with the couple marrying in March 2025. Their wedding celebrations attracted widespread attention, reflecting the lavish lifestyle associated with Chivayo.
A Prayerful Moment That Moved Many
In September 2026, just weeks before the fatal crash, a video of Lulu aboard a private jet circulated widely on social media. In the clip, she appeared relaxed yet polished, wearing white Alexander McQueen sneakers valued at roughly KSh 75,000.
What truly caught people’s attention, however, was a quiet moment just before the jet departed. She paused and made a prayer sign, a gesture that resonated deeply with viewers and drew widespread admiration. The video painted a portrait of a woman who, despite her husband’s flamboyant public persona, carried herself with composure and evident faith.
Chivayo’s Previous Marriage and Children
Lulu was not Chivayo’s first wife. Before their relationship, Chivayo was married to Sonja Madzikanda, whom he married in 2017. They had two children together: John Chenjera and Atarah Minana Chivayo.
Their marriage later ended in a highly public and contentious separation, with their dispute becoming the subject of legal proceedings involving child access, maintenance, and property. The legal battle spilled from Zimbabwe into South Africa, where Madzikanda obtained an anti-dissipation order that grounded a private jet and froze bank accounts linked to Chivayo.
In June 2026, a High Court ruling declared that Chivayo and Madzikanda were never legally married, a decision Madzikanda described as “a sad day for our culture and our history”.
Chivayo and Lulu did not publicly announce having children together.
The Final Journey
The couple’s marriage came to a tragic end on September 30, 2026, when a helicopter carrying six people crashed near Waddilove Mission in Marondera, Zimbabwe. The group was travelling from Gandami in Chikomba, where Chivayo and his wife were building a rural home, when the helicopter went down about 40 minutes after take-off.
Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of the businessman and his wife to state broadcaster ZBC, saying the family was devastated by the tragedy.
Zimbabwean authorities reported that there were no survivors. Chivayo’s two children with Madzikanda were confirmed not to have been on board the doomed aircraft, sparing them from the fate that claimed their father.
A Nation Mourns
The crash drew condolences from across Africa. Kenyan President William Ruto, who described Chivayo as a dear friend, mourned the couple in a statement: “May God grant Wicknell, Lucy and all those who perished eternal rest”.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed shock, and other regional leaders sent condolences. Investigations into the cause of the crash remain under way.
A short video of the couple dancing together was shared online just one day after their deaths, capturing a casual, joyful moment before the tragedy. The clip now serves as a reminder of the couple’s final days together, circulating as family and the public process the sudden loss.
For Lulu Muteke, the legacy is one of a woman who carved her own path in fashion and luxury before becoming half of one of Zimbabwe’s most talked-about couples. Her final public moments, captured in a prayer aboard a private jet and a dance with her husband, now stand as the lasting images of a life cut short alongside the man she married.
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