Late Wicknell Chivayo’s Ex-Wife And Sister Now In Control Of His Multi-Million Dollar Estate
The estate of the late controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo has taken a major step forward, with his eldest sister Esther Chivayo and his ex-wife Sonja Madzikanda appointed as co-executors of his multi-million dollar estate.
What is an executor and what is their role?
An executor, for a man, or executrix, for a woman, is a person appointed by the Master of the High Court to administer a deceased person’s estate under the Administration of Estates Act.
When someone dies leaving property, money, companies, debts and contracts, the estate does not automatically go to the family. The law requires a formal process, and the executor is at the centre of that process.
The executor becomes the legal custodian of the estate. Once appointed, the executor steps into the shoes of the deceased for estate purposes. No one, including family members, can sell, transfer or use estate property without the executor’s authority.
The executor must make a full inventory of everything the deceased owned and owed. This includes houses, cars, bank accounts, shares in companies, debts, loans and taxes. That inventory is filed with the Master.
The executor must also secure and protect the assets to make sure they are not lost, stolen or wasted. This includes freezing bank accounts, securing houses and vehicles, and collecting money owed to the estate.
Before anyone can inherit, the executor must pay all valid debts and legal obligations. This includes taxes, funeral costs, administration costs, and any court-ordered payments.
Only after debts are paid does the executor distribute what remains. This distribution is done according to a valid will, or if there is no will, according to the law of succession. The executor must also prepare a final account showing how the estate was handled and account for every cent.
The executor does not own the estate. He or she manages it on behalf of the beneficiaries and the court.
Chivayo died in a helicopter crash in Marondera on 30 September 2026 together with his wife Lucy Muteke and three others.
In a major development following his death, his ex-wife Sonja Madzikanda has been appointed co-executrix of his estate and will jointly administer it alongside his sister Esther Chivayo.
The appointment places Madzikanda, who had a US$25 million matrimonial claim pending before the Supreme Court at the time of Chivayo’s death, in joint control of the administration of an estate believed to be worth millions of dollars.
Until last week the estate had been registered with the Master of the High Court about three weeks after the death, and a first meeting had been held, but no executor had been appointed and the estate was frozen pending appointment.
As co-executrixes, Madzikanda and Esther Chivayo are now expected to oversee the inventory, settlement of debts and eventual distribution. They will be required to secure all assets, compile a full list of property and liabilities, settle valid claims, and then distribute the balance.
The estate is expected to pass primarily to Chivayo’s two minor children from his earlier relationship with Madzikanda, John Chenjerai Chivayo born in January 2018 and Attara Minana Chivayo born in March 2019. Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo has said the businessman had repeatedly stated his desire for the children to inherit most of his wealth and that the wider family had no intention of claiming the estate.
Legal experts say debts, taxes, creditor claims and any outstanding obligations must be settled first before any distribution to beneficiaries.
Photos Sonja Madzikanda and Ester Chivayo