The tragic death of flamboyant Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, in a helicopter crash on September 30, 2026, has been followed by an equally extravagant farewell.
The couple’s reported multimillion-shilling caskets drew widespread attention as details of the flamboyant send off continue to surface online.
Chivayo, known for his flamboyant lifestyle, luxury cars and high-profile public appearances, is being laid to rest in a Malaysian-made 14-carat gold casket valued at about US$217,000, equivalent to approximately Sh28 million.
The elaborate coffin was designed to resemble the front grille of a Rolls-Royce, reflecting the businessman’s well-known love of luxury and high-end vehicles.
Photos and videos shared online by the family show the bespoke casket bearing the personalised number plate “WMC 777”, a detail associated with Chivayo’s lavish motoring collection.
The coffin was also draped in the Zimbabwean national flag after President Emmerson Mnangagwa conferred Provincial Hero status on the businessman as part of the national farewell.
His wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, was also given a customised luxury casket designed to resemble a Mercedes-Benz.
The coffin features the German automaker’s distinctive three-pointed star, chrome detailing and a personalised “LULU” nameplate.
The elaborate arrangements have turned the couple’s farewell into a major public spectacle, with images of the caskets circulating widely on social media as mourners gather to pay their final respects.
Chivayo and Lulu were killed in a helicopter crash on September 30, 2026, bringing an abrupt end to the life of one of Zimbabwe’s most recognisable wealthy businessmen and his wife.
Chivayo is being accorded the honours attached to his Provincial Hero status and will be laid to rest at Sahwira Glen Forest memorial park in Harare, where family, friends, political figures and members of the public have gathered to bid him farewell.
Beyond the wealth and spectacle surrounding the funeral, Chivayo leaves behind two children from his previous marriage to Sonja Louise Madzikanda.
The couple had two children, John Chenjera, born in January 2018, and Atarah Minana, born in March 2019.
He is survived by his two children and his former wife, Sonja Madzikanda.