Wicknell Chivayo his wife Lucy Muteke laid to rest in emotional Harare farewell

By Burnett Munthali

HARARE-(Maravi Post)-Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, have been laid to rest at Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare following an emotional funeral that drew government officials, business leaders, politicians, church representatives, musicians and thousands of mourners.

The Zimbabwe Chronicle reports that the couple’s burial marked the conclusion of a highly publicised farewell that brought together people from different sections of Zimbabwean society, with mourners gathering to remember the couple and reflect on Chivayo’s business career and philanthropic activities.

Their remains arrived at Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park on Thursday, October 8, where a military procession preceded the burial proceedings. Leaders of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu Apostolic Church, where Chivayo was a congregant, led the religious proceedings.

The burial followed an emotional procession through Harare on Wednesday that attracted large crowds and disrupted traffic in parts of the city centre as people gathered along the route to witness the couple’s final journey.

Family members described the deaths as an immense loss and spoke at length about Lucy’s character, her relationship with her family and the bond between the Muteke and Chivayo families.

A representative of the Muteke family thanked mourners for standing with the family during the difficult period, saying the circumstances surrounding the deaths had caused deep pain but that the family had found comfort in relatives, friends and the church.

Lucy’s mother described her daughter as loving and caring, while her brother Gerald Muteke said Lucy had been his younger sister and someone with whom he had shared much of his life.

Members of Lucy’s family struggled to contain their emotions as they remembered her, with her sisters Fungai and Vari speaking about the profound impact of her death on the family.

The Chivayo family also paid tribute to Wicknell, remembering him not only as a businessman but as a brother, relative and philanthropist whose generosity had become one of the defining features of his public image.

One of the most notable tributes came from his younger brother, Joachim “G6” Chivayo, who described Wicknell as his teacher, captain and mentor.

G6 said his brother had influenced his personal and professional development, recalling how he initially worked for Wicknell before later working alongside him. He said the experiences taught him discipline, perseverance, respect for others and the importance of being fully present when interacting with people.

He also recalled how Wicknell supported his entry into business and encouraged him to pursue opportunities, describing the late businessman as someone who lived fully and extended a helping hand to people in need.

Another family tribute focused on the nickname “Mukuru wemazuva”, which became associated with Chivayo’s generosity.

According to his relatives, the nickname was given to him by other people because they believed his generosity demonstrated what they described as the greatness of God. His family stressed that Chivayo did not give himself the name or consider himself divine, but that it emerged from public appreciation of his charitable activities.

Family members also recalled Chivayo’s childhood in Selous and his education at Dudley Hall, describing him as a jovial person who made friends easily.

His relatives said his growing business profile and philanthropic activities eventually transformed him from a private family member into a nationally recognised figure whose influence extended well beyond his home area.

Zimbabwean Information Communication Technology Minister Tatenda Mavetera described Chivayo’s death as a major loss to the country.

Mavetera highlighted his philanthropic activities in Chikomba and said his generosity had helped bring communities together. She also revealed that Chivayo had supported the development of a school in Chivhu that is expected to be officially opened in November.

The minister further said Chivayo had contributed to improvements at Chivhu Stadium, although the businessman had not publicly highlighted some of those activities.

She described his spirit of giving as exceptional and said his death would be deeply felt by his family, friends and communities that benefited from his work.

The funeral also attracted regional attention, with a delegation sent by King Eswatini III to represent the Eswatini royal household.

Speaking through the delegation, the monarch expressed sadness over Chivayo’s death and described him as a promising figure whose contribution could have extended beyond Zimbabwe to the wider African region.

The delegation conveyed condolences to the Chivayo and Muteke families, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the people of Zimbabwe.

The royal delegation said its interactions with Chivayo had left the impression that he possessed the ambition and capacity to contribute to regional development and improve the lives of others.

The large turnout at Glen Forest reflected the scale of public interest surrounding Chivayo’s life and death. Government officials, businesspeople, politicians, religious leaders, entertainers, sports personalities and ordinary citizens joined the family to pay their final respects.

Chivayo’s public profile was built around a combination of business activity, conspicuous wealth and high-profile charitable giving. His philanthropic gestures had made him a widely recognised figure in Zimbabwe, while also generating considerable public discussion about his lifestyle and business dealings.

His death, therefore, prompted an unusually broad response, with tributes extending beyond his immediate family and professional circles.

The burial of Chivayo and Lucy brings to an end a week of mourning and public ceremonies following their deaths, leaving family members, friends and supporters to begin the difficult process of coming to terms with their loss.

For the Chivayo and Muteke families, Thursday’s ceremony was ultimately less about the public attention surrounding the couple and more about saying goodbye to two family members whose lives had touched many people.

As mourners departed Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park, the dominant message from the funeral was one of remembrance, faith and family — with speakers urging those left behind to find strength in the memories and legacy of Wicknell Chivayo and Lucy Muteke.