UAE Issues Fresh Statement Ahead of Billionaire Wicknell Chivayo’s Burial, Details
- The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement expressing solidarity with Zimbabwe after the fatal crash
- Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke and three others died when their helicopter went down at Kudenga Farm in Marondera on September 30, 2026
- Several African heads of state, including Kenya's William Ruto and Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa, paid tribute to the businessman
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The United Arab Emirates has officially expressed its condolences to Zimbabwe following the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke and three other passengers.
Source: UGC
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal statement offering sympathy to the victims' families, to the Zimbabwean government and to the Zimbabwean people.
"The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with the Republic of Zimbabwe following a helicopter crash which resulted in several deaths," the ministry said.
The crash that claimed five lives
Chivayo, his wife and the three others aboard, including two pilots and a security aide, died on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, when their helicopter came down at Kudenga Farm in Marondera, in the Mashonaland region of northeastern Zimbabwe.
The couple had been at Gandami in Chikomba District earlier that day, where construction of their rural home was under way.
They departed the site at approximately 4:20 pm, and the aircraft crashed roughly 40 minutes into the journey.
Debris was scattered across the farm, and the helicopter is reported to have travelled several metres from the point of initial impact before coming to rest.
Chivayo was widely recognised for his extravagant lifestyle, high-profile associations and prominent displays of wealth. His passing, alongside that of his wife, marks a significant loss in Zimbabwean business circles.
The couple is scheduled to be buried on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Chivayo's home in Glen Forest.
The X post below contains the UAE’s statement on Wicknell Chivayo’s helicopter crash.
African leaders pay tribute to Wicknell Chivayo
The crash drew tributes from several African heads of state in the days that followed.
Kenya's President William Ruto, who had welcomed Chivayo to State House in Nairobi on more than one occasion, described him as a personal friend in a post on X.
Ruto spoke of the businessman's warmth, energy and conviction in Africa's future.
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who maintained a close relationship with Chivayo despite the notable gap in their ages, also mourned publicly.
Mnangagwa noted that the loss was felt both personally and by the ruling ZANU-PF party, and urged the family to mourn with hope.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan described Chivayo as a forward-thinking young entrepreneur whose impact was felt widely across the continent.
"Zimbabwe and Africa have lost a young and visionary entrepreneur who touched the lives of many," she said.
Source: Facebook
Inside Wicknell Chivayo's Cape Town mansion
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Wicknell Chivayo, the late Zimbabwean businessman known for his flamboyant lifestyle and powerful connections, gave the public a glimpse into his GH₵108.7 million Cape Town mansion just months before his death in a helicopter crash on 1 October 2026.
Wicknell Chivayo unveiled the property in June 2026, situated in Clifton, one of Cape Town's most sought-after addresses along the Atlantic Seaboard.
The location offered uninterrupted ocean views and made it one of South Africa's most prestigious residential addresses.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
