The lavish lifestyle associated with late Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has followed him and his wife, Lucy Muteke, into their final farewell, with their custom-made coffins becoming a major talking point at their funeral in Harare.
Chivayo’s coffin was designed to resemble a luxury Rolls-Royce and draped in the Zimbabwean national flag, while Muteke’s casket featured a custom front grille and headlights inspired by a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.
Chivayo’s 14-carat gold coffin, said to have been imported from Malaysia, was reportedly valued at about US$217,000 ( approximately Sh.28,199,150).
The elaborate coffins were displayed at the couple’s Gletwyn residence on Thursday, where a massive gathering of government officials, businesspeople, church leaders and ordinary citizens gathered ahead of their burial.
Chivayo’s coffin was draped in the national flag following his posthumous declaration as a provincial hero by the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Members of the Johane Masowe eChishanu Church, to which Chivayo belonged, led mourners in prayers and songs at the family home before the couple’s final journey to Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park.
The burial site also carries personal significance for the Chivayo family, as his mother, Canisia Chivayo, was buried at the same memorial park in 2021.
The funeral comes just over a week after Chivayo and Muteke died in a helicopter crash near Marondera on September 30.
Their remains were taken to the family home on Wednesday, with large crowds lining the streets of Harare to witness the procession.
The family had earlier confirmed that forensic and DNA identification procedures had been completed before the burial arrangements were finalised.
They also announced that there would be no viewing of the bodies because of their condition following the crash.
The extravagant farewell mirrors the public image Chivayo cultivated during his lifetime, which was closely associated with luxury, high-end cars, philanthropy and his prominent connections within Zimbabwe’s political and business circles.
While supporters portrayed him as an innovative and generous businessman, critics questioned the origins of his vast wealth and alleged links to political patronage and corruption, claims that have remained a subject of public debate.
For many mourners gathered in Gletwyn, the distinctive coffins have become another striking symbol of the flamboyant lifestyle for which Chivayo and his family were widely known.
