Malawi Freedom Network 
By MFN News Desk Team
Published: October 7, 2026
Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, will be buried together on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Glen Forest Cemetery in Harare following their deaths in a helicopter crash.
The families have confirmed that there will be no public viewing of the bodies before the burial because of the severe condition of the remains following the crash.
The burial is scheduled for 2pm and will be open to members of the public who wish to attend and pay their final respects.
Severe damage to remains
The decision not to allow body viewing follows the extensive damage caused by the helicopter crash and the fire that followed.
Family spokesperson and Chivayo’s uncle, Herbert Chivayo, said the victims’ remains were severely burned and were initially difficult to identify. Forensic and DNA procedures were subsequently used to formally identify the victims.
Reports about missing body parts have circulated widely on social media. However, Herbert Chivayo clarified that claims that the victims’ heads had been recovered were incorrect.
He said forensic officials had initially suspected that some recovered remains could have been parts of the victims’ heads, but further examination established that they were not.
The condition of the remains explains why the family decided against a viewing ceremony, allowing mourners instead to attend the funeral and burial without seeing the bodies.
Chivayo and Lulu died in helicopter crash
Chivayo and his wife died on September 30, 2026, when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed at Kudenga Farm in the Marondera area of Zimbabwe.
The crash also claimed the lives of pilot Captain Calvin Tafirei Soda, co-pilot Captain Courage Matavirwa and Lucy Muteke’s aide, Senelisiwe Magagula.
Zimbabwean authorities have continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Preliminary information indicated that the aircraft crashed and a fire followed, severely damaging the remains of those aboard. The investigation into the cause of the accident remains ongoing.
Final farewell in Harare
The couple will be laid to rest together at Glen Forest Cemetery in Harare, where family, friends, business associates and members of the public are expected to gather.
The family previously confirmed that the burial would not be restricted to relatives and close friends, giving members of the public an opportunity to pay their final respects to the couple.
On Wednesday, October 7, mourners gathered as the couple’s remains were taken from Doves Funeral Services to the family home in Harare ahead of Thursday’s burial.
Chivayo’s coffin was reported to have been draped in the Zimbabwean national flag after President Emmerson Mnangagwa conferred Provincial Hero status on the businessman.
A prominent Zimbabwean businessman
Chivayo was a prominent and highly visible figure in Zimbabwe’s business community. He was also known for his lavish lifestyle, philanthropy and close relationships with prominent political and business figures.
His death attracted widespread attention in Zimbabwe and across the region, particularly because of the circumstances surrounding the helicopter crash.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa confirmed Chivayo’s death shortly after the crash, describing the businessman as a significant loss to Zimbabwe.
The burial of Chivayo and Lulu on Thursday will bring to a close a difficult period for their families, who have been dealing with the loss while forensic teams worked to identify the victims’ remains.
MFN News Desk Team
