PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the death of businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy, two pilots and a security aide in a helicopter crash as a devastating loss to the nation.
The five died when their helicopter crashed in rural Marondera on Wednesday afternoon.
In a condolence message issued Thursday, Mnangagwa said the deaths had left the country, his family and him personally numbed and in deep shock and grief.
“The sudden and unexpected tragic passing on of Mr and Mrs Chivayo, two crew members and a security aide in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon left our nation, my family, and me personally numbed and in deep shock and grief,” Mnangagwa said.
“We are all shattered by this unexpected, sudden demise of so young a family and officers for whom so much promise held l,” Mnangagwa said.
Mnangagwa praised the Chivayo as a businessman with ambitions extending beyond his family to Zimbabwe, the Southern African region and the continent.
“The late Wicknell Chivayo had a grand vision for his family, for our country, for the Southern African subregion and for our African continent,” Mnangagwa said.
Mnangagwa said he was aware of several plans Chivayo had for Zimbabwe, particularly initiatives aimed at assisting disadvantaged communities and war veterans.
“I am personally aware of numerous plans he had for our nation and our people, principally the less privileged ones and our war veterans, whose social condition he diligently worked to ameliorate,” he said.
