Luxury car‑styled coffins dominate funeral of Zimbabwe's Wicknell Chivayo and Lucy Muteke

The funeral of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife Lucy Muteke featured custom‑made coffins that resembled high‑end automobiles, drawing widespread attention in Harare.

Chivayo’s coffin was fashioned to look like a Rolls‑Royce and was draped in the national flag, while Muteke’s casket incorporated a front grille and headlights modelled on a Mercedes‑Benz G‑Wagon.

The Rolls‑Royce‑style coffin was reportedly made of 14‑carat gold, imported from Malaysia, and valued at about US$217,000 (approximately Sh.28,199,150).

Both coffins were displayed at the couple’s Gletwyn residence on Thursday, where government officials, business leaders, church members and ordinary citizens gathered before the burial.

Chivayo’s coffin was officially draped in the Zimbabwean flag after the president’s administration declared him a provincial hero posthumously.

Members of the Johane Masowe eChishanu Church, to which Chivayo belonged, led prayers and songs at the family home before the procession to Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park.

The burial site holds personal significance for the family, as Chivayo’s mother, Canisia Chivayo, was interred there in 2021.

The couple died in a helicopter crash near Marondera on 30 September, and their remains were taken to the family home on Wednesday, with crowds lining Harare streets for the procession.

Family statements confirmed that forensic and DNA identification had been completed and that no public viewing would occur because of the condition of the bodies.

Observers noted that the extravagant coffins reflected the flamboyant public image Chivayo cultivated, marked by luxury cars, philanthropy and close ties to Zimbabwe’s political and business elite.