Wicknell Chivayo's Estate Registered With High Court Ahead of Distribution After Helicopter Crash

• Wicknell Chivayo's family registered his estate with Zimbabwe's Master of the High Court about three weeks after his death
• No executor has yet been appointed to oversee the administration of an estate believed to be worth millions of US dollars
• A US$25 million matrimonial claim filed by Chivayo's former wife could complicate the distribution of his assets

The family of late Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has taken its first formal step toward settling his estate after he died in a helicopter crash on 30 September 2026, alongside his wife, Lucy Muteke, in Marondera, Zimbabwe, leaving behind two minor children.

According to The Sunday Mail, the family lodged Chivayo's estate with the Master of the High Court roughly three weeks after his death.

Senior officials at the Master's Office confirmed both the registration and an initial meeting to begin discussions on how the process would unfold, but declined to share further details.

Read also

“Come and get me”: Millionaire forex trader publicly dares Interpol and Donald Trump

Wicknell Chivayo had once publicly stated he was worth more than US$100 million.

No executor appointed yet

Despite the registration, no executor or executrix has been named to lead the administration of Chivayo's estate.

This appointment is a critical requirement under Zimbabwean law, as the appointed individual would be responsible for cataloguing the deceased's assets, identifying outstanding debts, and distributing the estate to beneficiaries in line with legal requirements.

Until that appointment is made, the administration process cannot move forward in full.

Chivayo's business portfolio reportedly covered several sectors, including energy contracts and the disputed Gwanda Solar Project.

His commercial interests also extended into Kenya, where he had connections to a proposed expansion of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Wicknell Chivayo's estate faces major legal hurdle

The estate faces additional complications from an unresolved matrimonial dispute involving Chivayo's former wife, Sonja Madzikanda.

The case was before Zimbabwe's Supreme Court at the time of his death.

Read also

Afrobeat musician Nally dies in a fatal road accident

Madzikanda was seeking a one-off payment of US$25 million, monthly spousal support of US$40,000, an annual lifestyle budget of US$1 million, properties in both Harare and Johannesburg, and seven luxury vehicles.

She maintained that she and Chivayo entered into a valid customary marriage in 2017 following the completion of lobola payments.

Chivayo's legal team contested this position, arguing that the union was never formally registered. With his death, the status of that claim and how it may affect the estate's administration remains uncertain.

The appointment of an executor is now considered the most pressing next step as the legal process around Chivayo's estate continues to take shape.

The Facebook post on the first legal steps taken by the family is below.

Wicknell's claims about money spent on cars

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on the private chat screenshots a Zimbabwean blogger attributed to the late businessman Wicknell Chivayo, including his claim that he spent more than $200 million on gifts.

The figure remains unverified, but it has renewed scrutiny of Chivayo’s lavish giving and financial affairs. A separate dispute over a Range Rover he reportedly offered to a lawyer has also raised questions about the vehicle’s paperwork.

Source: YEN.com.gh