A SOLEMN REUNION: Ex-Wife Sonja Madzikanda and Children Arrive at Gletwin Residence to Mourn Wicknell Chivayo

Reported By: Society, Culture & Human Interest Desk | Location: Chivayo Family Residence, Gletwin, Harare
Focus: Sonja Louise Madzikanda & Children | Family Grieves | Updated: Saturday, 3 October 2026

In one of the most poignant and emotionally charged moments of the ongoing funeral wake, Sonja Louise Madzikanda, the ex-wife of late businessman and Provincial Hero Wicknell Chivayo, made her first public appearance at the family’s Gletwin residence on Saturday morning, accompanied by the former couple’s two young children.

Mourners gather at the Gletwin residence of late businessman Wicknell Chivayo

DIGNITY IN GRIEF: Dressed in black, Sonja Louise Madzikanda and her two children joined close family members, clergy, and dignitaries at the Gletwin mansion to pay their last respects to the late businessman.

United in Mourning a Father Dressed in sombre all-black mourning attire, Sonja maintained quiet dignity as she guided her children through the gathering of hundreds of mourners, state officials, and religious leaders who have converged on the Harare mansion since Wednesday’s fatal helicopter tragedy.

While Sonja and Chivayo parted ways following the dissolution of their high-profile marriage, the two remained bound by a shared commitment to co-parenting their children—a bond that brought the family together on Saturday to bid a heart-wrenching final farewell.

The Gletwin Arrival: Quiet Grace Amidst National Mourning

Amidst the heavy presence of state security, senior politicians, and media, the arrival of Chivayo’s former wife and children introduced a deeply tender human dimension to the state-assisted proceedings.

Upon stepping into the Gletwin estate, Sonja kept her focus entirely on her young children, holding their hands tightly as family elders and relatives ushered them into the private family quarters.

A Respectful, Understated Presence Witnesses at the residence noted that Sonja conducted herself with profound grace, eschewing the limelight to ensure the children were given a calm, private space to process the reality of their father’s untimely passing.

Warm Reception from Family Elders Senior members of the Chivayo family warmly embraced Sonja and the children, reinforcing the unity of the family during an unprecedented tragedy that claimed both Wicknell and his wife, Lucy Muteke.

Beyond the Headlines: The Co-Parenting Journey

While public discourse often centered on Chivayo’s lavish lifestyle and dramatic online moments, those closest to him knew the central role his children played in his personal world.

A High-Profile Union and Amicable Distance Wicknell and Sonja were married in 2017 in a lavish traditional and white wedding that captivated national media. Over the years, despite weathering public marital challenges that eventually culminated in their formal separation, the two made deliberate efforts to preserve mutual respect for the emotional wellbeing of their children.

Prioritizing the Children Amidst Turmoil Close family associates confirmed that Chivayo consistently provided for the children’s welfare, education, and security. Sonja’s presence at the Gletwin wake stands as a testament to the enduring priority both parents placed on family unity in times of ultimate crisis.

A House of Mourning: The Scene at Gletwin

The Gletwin mansion remains a hive of solemn activity following Friday night’s landmark visit by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who officially declared Chivayo a Provincial Hero.

• Continuous Church Vigils: Thousands of members of the Johane Masowe apostolic sect have pitched camp near the estate, filling the night air with traditional gospel choruses and prayers for the departed souls.
• High-Profile Dignitaries: Government ministers, business tycoons, musicians, and artists who benefited from Chivayo's philanthropic gestures have made pilgrimages to console the family.
• State-Assisted Protocols: State protocol officers and security details are actively coordinating with the family ahead of the final funeral rites.

The Human Heart Behind the Spectacle

When the Cameras Fade, Grief Remains Beyond the provincial hero honours, the multi-million-dollar fleet of cars, and the controversial public headlines, Saturday’s arrival of two young children at their father’s wake stripped away the noise, laying bare the universal agony of children grieving an irreplaceable loss.

As Zimbabwe prepares for the state-assisted burial of one of its most colourful sons, the nation's thoughts naturally shift toward the surviving children and the extended family who must now navigate life without their provider and patriarch.

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Standing with the Bereaved Family

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers remain with Sonja, the young children, and the entire Chivayo and Muteke families as they face these unimaginably difficult days.

May the souls of Wicknell Chivayo and Lucy Muteke rest in eternal peace.

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