Helicopter Crash: Inside Sir Wicknell Chivayo’s Close Ties With Kenyan President William Ruto

• Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, popularly known as Sir Wicknell, died in a helicopter crash near Marondera, Zimbabwe, on September 30, 2026
• Chivayo had developed a strikingly visible relationship with Kenyan President William Ruto over several years, making repeated appearances at State House and private events
• His business interests had also extended into Kenya, with his company linked to a major airport expansion project amid ongoing controversy

Wicknell Chivayo, the flamboyant Zimbabwean businessman widely known as Sir Wicknell, had cultivated one of the more unusual cross-border relationships in East African political life before he died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, 30 September, near Marondera, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean authorities confirmed that a helicopter carrying a prominent businessman, four other passengers and two pilots went down in Marondera Rural, with no survivors.

While officials had not publicly named the victims at the time of the initial announcement, Zimbabwean media subsequently identified Chivayo and his wife, Lucy "Lulu" Muteke, as among those killed.

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How Sir Wicknell got close to Ruto

Chivayo's relationship with Kenyan President William Ruto grew increasingly public from early 2025.

He visited Ruto's private home in Kilgoris, Narok County, in one of their earliest documented encounters. On January 27, 2025, he called at State House in Nairobi, describing the meeting as a courtesy visit centred on renewable energy discussions.

He later photographed himself alongside Ruto and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at State House in April 2025, consistently pairing such images with enthusiastic praise for the Kenyan leader.

The encounters continued well into 2026, with Chivayo recording visits to Sagana State Lodge, Wajir State Lodge and State House.

Perhaps the most talked-about moment came in August 2026 during a trip to Ruto's Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris for the traditional engagement and farewell ceremony of the president's daughter, Charlene Ruto, and her Tanzanian fiancé, Isaiah Yunge.

After the ceremony, Chivayo filmed himself seated in a vehicle being driven by Ruto towards a helipad on the private estate.

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"The president of Kenya is driving me," Chivayo said in the video.

"Being driven by the president of the Republic. Ah, no, no. God is the greatest." Ruto could be heard laughing in the background.

Wicknell's business interests and controversy in Kenya

Beyond the personal encounters, Chivayo's commercial ambitions were also drawing him closer to Kenya.

His firm, IMC Construction Kenya, was reported in June 2026 to be part of a consortium bidding for the proposed expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, alongside Chinese construction giants.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir later disputed those reports, stating that the company had not participated in the formal tender process.

Following a separate visit to Wajir State Lodge that same month, Chivayo indicated he was in discussions with Ruto over a multimillion-dollar investment project, though the Kenyan government offered no official confirmation of the specifics.

The frequency of his appearances prompted scrutiny at home and abroad. In June 2026, former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi publicly questioned the nature of Chivayo's interactions with the president.

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Back in Zimbabwe, Chivayo had long been a controversial figure, particularly over the Gwanda Solar Project, in which his firm Intratrek held a contract linked to a proposed 100-megawatt solar installation.

The project became entangled in disputes over implementation, though Chivayo denied any wrongdoing.

Family breaks silence on Sir Wicknell's death

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Sir Wicknell, one of Zimbabwe's most prominent and recognisable businessmen, died on Wednesday evening, September 30, 2026, after a private helicopter he was travelling in crashed in Marondera rural, a district in Mashonaland East Province.

His wife, Lucy Muteke, also perished in the accident.

Zimbabwe Republic Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the crash took place and that the aircraft had six occupants on board at the time.

Source: YEN.com.gh