Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo was no stranger to cameras, but in Kenya, some of his most memorable appearances were not beside luxury cars or private aircraft. They were alongside President William Ruto.

Before he died in a helicopter crash in Zimbabwe on September 30, 2026, Chivayo had become a familiar face around Ruto, appearing at State House, the President’s private residence in Kilgoris and other high-profile gatherings.

The meetings attracted attention because they combined two things that naturally draw public interest: access to a sitting president and a businessman openly discussing plans to invest in Kenya.

Here are five moments that help explain why the Chivayo-Ruto relationship became such a talking point.

1. The relationship became visible in 2025

Chivayo’s public association with Ruto became increasingly noticeable from early 2025.

On January 27, 2025, he visited State House in Nairobi and described the meeting as a courtesy visit during which renewable energy was discussed. He later shared photographs and messages about his interactions with the Kenyan president.

The meetings did not remain a one-off encounter.

In April 2025, Chivayo posted photographs showing himself with Ruto and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at State House. He regularly accompanied photographs of the Kenyan president with highly complimentary messages.

These posts gave the public a running record of his access to Ruto, rather than leaving the relationship to occasional photographs from official events.

2. Their meetings happened in both official and private settings

What made the relationship particularly noticeable was the range of places where Chivayo met Ruto.

Some encounters happened at State House, the official setting for presidential meetings. Others took place at Ruto’s private residence in Kilgoris and at other locations.

That mixture gave Chivayo’s social media pages a rather unusual combination of presidential meetings, business discussions and personal moments.

In August 2026, however, one encounter stood out from the rest.

Following an event linked to the traditional engagement celebrations of Ruto’s daughter Charlene, Chivayo filmed Ruto driving him towards a helipad at the President’s Kilgoris home.

Chivayo sounded visibly surprised and excited as he recorded the journey, repeatedly pointing out that the President of Kenya was behind the wheel.

The video was subsequently widely circulated online.

3. Chivayo openly praised Ruto

Chivayo did not hide his admiration for the Kenyan president.

In posts about their meetings, he repeatedly described Ruto in highly favourable terms, praising his leadership and government programmes.

After one State House visit in June 2026, for example, Chivayo described Ruto as a leader focused on action and development.

His public comments were part of what made their association so visible. Rather than simply appearing in photographs, Chivayo frequently documented the meetings and wrote extensively about them for his followers.

He also described the relationship personally. In an interview reported in August 2026, Chivayo said his relationship with Ruto was based on personal ties, faith, respect and mentorship. He also said he had not sought to use the relationship to obtain favours or tenders.

Those are Chivayo’s own characterisations and should be distinguished from independent facts about government dealings.

4. Business was part of the conversation

The relationship also attracted attention because Chivayo was exploring business opportunities in Kenya.

His company, Intratrek, had built its profile around energy and infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe, while his wider business interests included other sectors.

By 2026, Chivayo was publicly talking about investing in Kenya.

After a September 2026 meeting with Ruto, he said he intended to invest US$200 million in Kenya through infrastructure development projects.

That statement, however, should not be confused with proof that the entire amount had already been invested. It was Chivayo’s stated investment plan. Public reporting also noted the distinction between his proposed investment and confirmed government contracts.

5. The JKIA debate added another layer

Chivayo’s Kenyan business ambitions became even more closely watched amid discussion around the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

In June 2026, reports linked his company to a consortium involved in the airport expansion process. The issue attracted public attention because of the size and importance of the project.

Kenya’s Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir subsequently rejected claims that Chivayo’s company had been part of the bidding process, saying the procurement had been conducted through an open international competitive process and that no contract had yet been signed at the time of his statement.

The episode illustrated why Chivayo’s proximity to Ruto attracted so much interest. His personal appearances with the President were taking place at the same time that he was publicly discussing business and investment in Kenya.