Long before Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s death, he had already created a striking memorial for his late mother, Canisia Chivayo, at Glen Forest Cemetery in Harare. The elaborate resting place has attracted renewed attention following the tycoon’s death in a helicopter crash.
Canisia died in 2021, and her son honoured her memory with a grand structure that stands out from the conventional graves surrounding it. The memorial is built largely from black and grey polished granite and features a permanent canopy supported by pillars.
The structure also has a multi tiered base rising towards an arched headstone, while a silver metal railing runs along the top of the canopy. In front of the grave is a large polished grey granite bench, providing a place where visitors can sit, pray and reflect.
The grave is kept in immaculate condition, with arrangements of white and yellow flowers placed around the memorial. Photos and videos of the resting place circulated and prompted comparisons from some viewers, with suggestions that the elaborate construction could cost as much as building a house in a high density suburb. However, the report did not give an official cost for the memorial.
The memorial has gained even greater significance after Wicknell and his wife, Lucy Muteke, died in a helicopter crash on September 30, 2026. The aircraft crashed at Kudenga Farm in the Marondera Rural area while the couple was returning to Harare from their rural home in Gandami, Chikomba. Six people were aboard the helicopter and there were no survivors.
Following the tragedy, the Chivayo family confirmed that Wicknell and Lucy are scheduled to be buried at Glen Forest Cemetery on Thursday, October 8, at 2 p.m. The family also said the funeral would be open to members of the public wishing to attend the final farewell.
Wicknell’s mother’s elaborate memorial has therefore taken on a poignant new meaning. The same cemetery where he created an exceptional resting place for Canisia is now set to become his own final resting place, alongside his late wife.