Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo is receiving a lavish final send-off, with images of his custom-designed casket and that of his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, attracting widespread attention ahead of their burial.
Chivayo and Lulu died on September 30, 2026, when the helicopter carrying them crashed in the Marondera area of Zimbabwe. They were among the occupants who died in the accident.
As preparations for their funeral continued, photographs from Doves Funeral Services in Harare showed two elaborate, luxury-car-inspired caskets prepared for the couple.
Chivayo’s casket features a front grille designed to resemble a Rolls-Royce or luxury limousine, complete with a personalised registration plate marked “WMC 777.” His casket was also draped in the Zimbabwean national flag following his declaration as a provincial hero.
Lulu’s casket, meanwhile, features a Mercedes-Benz-inspired front, with reports describing the design as resembling a Mercedes-Maybach. It carries a personalised plate marked “LUI.”
The unusual designs have generated significant discussion online, with many social-media users connecting the funeral arrangements to the couple’s well-known association with luxury vehicles.
The caskets were displayed at the funeral parlour before the couple’s remains were taken to their Gletwin home on Wednesday, October 7, where they were expected to lie in state overnight. A large convoy of luxury vehicles accompanied the procession through Harare, attracting crowds along the route.
Chivayo had been declared a provincial hero following his death, with the honour cited as the reason his casket was draped in the national flag.
The couple are scheduled to be buried side by side at Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare on Thursday, October 8.
The luxury-themed caskets have become one of the most talked-about aspects of the funeral, particularly because they mirror the extravagant lifestyle and love of high-end vehicles for which Chivayo was widely known.
Reports have also circulated about a separate 14-carat gold casket reportedly valued at US$217,000, but that claim has not been established by the strongest sources reviewed and should therefore be treated cautiously.
For now, the Rolls-Royce- and Mercedes-Benz-inspired designs remain a striking feature of the couple’s final farewell.
