“The Ship Is Very Stable and Will Continue Sailing” : Joachim Chivayo’s Tribute

Story By Staff Reporter

Joachim Chivayo, widely known as G6, paid tribute to his brother, businessman Wicknell Chivayo, on Thursday 8 October 2026. He spoke at the funeral service for Wicknell and his wife, Lucy Muteke Chivayo. The service took place at the couple’s home in Gletwin, and broadcasters streamed it live. The family plans to bury the couple this afternoon.

A helicopter crash near Marondera killed the couple on 30 September 2026, along with three others. Joachim named them as Captain Kelvin Soda, Captain Courage Mutavirwa and Senelisiwe Magagula.

He opened with humour. Organisers had asked him to keep the tribute to ten minutes. His brother “would be the first to say it’s far too short for a man of his stature,” he said. Wicknell would also have asked who was paying for the extra time.

“Not as G6, but as a Little Brother”

Joachim told the crowd he spoke as a little brother, not as a businessman or as G6. He called Wicknell his brother, his teacher and “our captain.” He has known him for 35 years and has worked with him since 2012. Wicknell taught him everything, he said, including how to lose money and still say thank you.

The “Dog Food Boy”

Joachim wanted to work for his brother from 2008. For four years, the answer was no. In 2012, he finally got an assignment: collect dog food from the Kebab Centre and deliver it to his brother’s home in Greystone Park. He did this daily in his Suzuki Vitara, which he joked smelled exactly as the audience imagined.

At the time, he did not realise the job was preparing him. The lesson, he said, is that you must be faithful with the bucket before anyone gives you a better job. He was happy as the “dog food boy” because the job let him see his brother every day, even for 10 to 15 minutes.

Fridays at Church and a Lesson About Presence

Their bond grew stronger when Wicknell joined the Johane Masowe Chishanu Apostolic Church. Between 2013 and 2014, the brothers attended church every Friday. They drove to Marondera together in Wicknell’s Mercedes-Benz, and sometimes left on Thursday night.

Joachim recalled one drive when he stayed glued to his phone. Wicknell told him he gave him lifts so they could bond and talk. Phone use, he said, showed disrespect. The lesson: put the phone down and be present with people. Wicknell, whom Joachim calls “Mukuru” (big brother), also taught him to drive properly, with executive chauffeur etiquette.

The Story of the X6

In 2015, Joachim wanted to go into buying and selling cars. His brother asked him to sell his cars and invest. Wicknell expected a US$5 million payment, Joachim said, and promised him US$1 million from it. Joachim sold most of his vehicles and raised US$220,000.

Later, his brother said he could not give him the million. Instead, he offered a BMW X5 or X6. Maths was Joachim’s strongest subject, he said, and this was not an even exchange. He did not know whether to laugh or cry, yet he drove away smiling. He calls it “the Wicknell effect”: the man would take your money, and by the end of the weekend you thanked him again.

The lesson, Joachim said, is that people treat you differently when you arrive in an X6 than in a Corolla. Within two years, doors opened for him. His brother taught him how the world responds to ambition.

Joachim told these personal recollections with humour. Nobody has independently verified them.

Remembering Lucy

Joachim also spoke about Lucy, whom he called “maiguru,” a Shona term of respect for an older brother’s wife. When she came into his brother’s life, he said, good fortune seemed to follow. He put this down to favour and discipline. The two loved each other deeply, he said, and they left this world together.

“The Wicknell on Your Phone and the Wicknell I Knew”

Joachim spoke directly about his brother’s public image. Many people first met Wicknell through a screen, he said. The man he knew differed from the flashy figure some people called loud. Wicknell was generous, loved deeply and gave often where no cameras pointed.

Social media is powerful, Joachim warned, but it can become dangerous. People can cut and edit a ten-second clip, send it around the world, and judge a man’s character without ever shaking his hand. “A post is a moment, but a life is a lifetime,” he said. He asked mourners to ask who is behind a post before judging, and whether it is true before sharing.

The Legacy Will Continue

Joachim said clearly that Wicknell’s legacy will continue. Using the image of a ship, he said the captain is no longer with them, “but the ship is very stable and will continue sailing.”

Wicknell loved his children “jealously and fiercely,” Joachim said. The family and the structures his brother built will care for them, he promised. Earlier, he had said the legacy belongs to the children and to no one else.

An Appeal for Peace

Joachim also appealed to anyone with financial or business dealings with his late brother. He asked them to settle any outstanding matters amicably, with calm hearts, and without unnecessary court action. The family has not said whether any such matters exist. This article makes no claim that they do.

A Farewell

Joachim ended by speaking to his brother. Collecting the dog food again, he said, would be worth it just to see him for another ten minutes. Then came his thanks: for the dog food bucket, the BMW X6, their occasional fights, their Fridays together, his love for Zimbabwe, and the lessons, laughter and dreams. His closing words were: “Rest well, my brother. Rest well, our captain.”

Investigation Continues

Police and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe are investigating the crash. Officials have not yet determined the cause.

Key Points

• Joachim Chivayo (G6) paid tribute to his brother at the funeral service on Thursday 8 October.
• He shared personal stories, including his early job as the “dog food boy.”
• He urged people not to judge his brother by social media clips.
• He said the legacy will continue and the children will have protection.
• He appealed for peaceful settlement of any outstanding dealings.
• The family plans to bury the couple this afternoon at Glen Forest.

This article reports statements that a family member made at a public service. We will update it as events unfold.