Luxury caskets prepared for the burial of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo have reportedly attracted attention, with a gold coffin said to have been imported from Malaysia for his final burial.
The reported value of the gold coffin has been placed at approximately US$217,000, although the figure has not been independently verified. Two additional caskets designed to resemble luxury vehicles have also featured in the funeral arrangements.
Images circulating from the funeral parlour show one white casket styled after a Rolls-Royce, complete with a grille resembling that of the luxury car brand and registration number WMC 777.
Another casket has been designed with a Mercedes-Benz-inspired front and is draped in the Zimbabwean national flag.
Both vehicle-themed caskets feature elaborate white floral decorations and candles, adding to the attention surrounding the funeral preparations.
According to reports attributed to sources close to the family, the gold coffin was specially imported from Malaysia for Chivayo’s burial. The two vehicle-themed caskets are understood to be separate from the gold coffin.
The reported arrangements have sparked public interest because of Chivayo’s long-standing association with luxury cars and his highly publicised lifestyle.
During his lifetime, the businessman frequently made headlines for acquiring and gifting expensive vehicles, including Rolls-Royce Cullinans and Mercedes-Maybach models.
His interest in high-end automobiles became a prominent part of his public image, making the appearance of car-inspired caskets at his funeral particularly notable.
Funeral industry operators have indicated that luxury caskets designed to resemble vehicles are available on the market, with prices depending on their materials, craftsmanship and finishing.
However, the reported US$217,000 valuation relates to the gold coffin, while the cost of the two vehicle-themed caskets has not been separately established.
The elaborate funeral arrangements have drawn attention to the scale of preparations being made to honour the businessman, whose wealth and spending habits were frequently discussed in Zimbabwean public life.
Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, reportedly died in a helicopter crash in Marondera on September 30.
The couple’s deaths shocked many people in Zimbabwe, prompting widespread public discussion about their lives and the circumstances surrounding the crash.
According to the funeral arrangements reported, their bodies were lying in state at their Gletwin residence, with burial scheduled for Thursday at Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park.
The reported gold coffin and vehicle-themed caskets have since become a major talking point surrounding the funeral, drawing renewed attention to Chivayo’s association with luxury and extravagant displays.
Source: Thepressradio.com
