Wicknell Chivayo's Net Worth and Millions Spent on Zimbabwe Football Before His Death
- Wicknell Chivayo died in a helicopter crash in Marondera on 30 September 2026, alongside his wife and four others
- Hours before his death, Highlanders FC announced a US$250,000 contribution from Chivayo, with the club saying his support over two years exceeded US$2 million
- Chivayo claimed in 2024 to be worth US$100 million, but no independently verified figure has ever been made public
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Wicknell Chivayo, the Zimbabwean businessman popularly known as Sir Wicknell, died in a helicopter crash near Marondera on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. His wife, Lucy Muteke, and four other people also perished in the crash. President Emmerson Mnangagwa confirmed the deaths the following day.
In the hours before the crash, Chivayo had made what would become one of his final publicly documented financial gestures, a US$250,000 contribution to Highlanders Football Club, reportedly made at around 1 pm. The helicopter went down at approximately 5 pm.
What Chivayo said about his fortune
Chivayo placed his own wealth at US$100 million. In February 2024, he told H-Metro that he had "just" US$100 million, calling himself a "centi-millionaire" and expressing confidence that he would cross into billionaire territory within nine years or sooner.
No independently audited or publicly verified figure corroborates that claim. His precise net worth at the time of his death remains unknown.
A decade of football spending
His financial footprint in Zimbabwean football stretched back more than a decade. In December 2015, ZIFA received a US$1 million sponsorship from Chivayo, to be paid in instalments, with the first payment directed at settling debt owed to former Warriors coach Tom Saintfiet. ZIFA was reportedly carrying debts of around US$6 million at the time.
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In December 2024, IMC Communications, a company with which Chivayo was publicly associated, injected US$1 million into Scottland FC ahead of the club's debut Premier Soccer League season.
The following April, ZBC reported that Scottland had renewed its partnership with IMC Communications through a US$1.6 million sponsorship package, with Chivayo identified as a director of the company at the unveiling. Scottland went on to win the 2025 PSL title in its first top-flight season.
His relationship with Highlanders was particularly prominent. In June 2025, he announced a US$1 million sponsorship package for the Bulawayo club, citing his late uncle, former Vice-President John Landa Nkomo, as part of his motivation.
Earlier that year, he provided US$27,000 to help Highlanders avoid a FIFA transfer ban. Highlanders stated that his financial support over the preceding two years had exceeded US$2 million in total.
In May 2026, Chivayo pledged a 65-seater bus to Dynamos if the club defeated CAPS United in the Harare Derby. Dynamos lost 2-1, but Chivayo said he would honour the promise regardless, adding a US$50,000 player incentive. He described the gesture as an expression of appreciation rather than a formal sponsorship.
The sums associated with his football activities do not, on their own, establish a net worth. Some figures represent corporate sponsorships channelled through IMC Communications rather than personal expenditure, while others were direct gifts. Taken together, however, they illustrate the scale of financial activity Chivayo was publicly connected to throughout his career.
His US$100 million claim remains unverified. The millions linked to his involvement in Zimbabwean football offer only a partial and documented window into the wealth he publicly presented.
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Source: Briefly News
