A condolence message posted by Kenyan entrepreneur Oketch Salah following the death of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has attracted an unexpected response on X, with one user turning the tribute into a sarcastic exchange.
Salah had taken to X to mourn Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke and the other people who died in the helicopter crash in Zimbabwe. In the message, Salah described Chivayo as his fellow entrepreneur and praised him for what he described as his ambition, energy and strong belief in Africa’s potential.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of my fellow entrepreneur, Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke and others who lost their lives in the helicopter crash in Zimbabwe. Wicknell was a man of ambition, energy and immense belief in Africa’s...” Salah wrote.
X user TurboDiesel replied directly to the tribute with: “Unataka nguo zake sindio??” The Swahili phrase literally translates to “You want his clothes, right?” The comment appeared to be a joke aimed at Salah’s decision to publicly mourn Chivayo, rather than a serious response to the death.
The remark changed the tone of the conversation from a conventional condolence message to social media banter. Instead of discussing Chivayo’s business career or the circumstances surrounding the crash, the user chose to poke fun at Salah by suggesting, sarcastically, that his interest in Chivayo could be connected to wanting his belongings.
The exchange has attracted attention because of the bluntness of the response. On social media, condolence messages involving wealthy or high profile individuals can sometimes trigger a different kind of reaction, with users questioning the relationship between the person offering the tribute and the deceased. In this case, however, the screenshot provides no evidence that Salah wanted Chivayo’s belongings. The remark is presented as a comment from another X user and appears to be banter.
Btw they both look similar and move similar, physically and also in their shadowy backgrounds.- Another Kenyan tweeted
The response from TurboDiesel illustrates the sharply different reactions that have followed Chivayo’s death. While politicians, businesspeople, religious leaders and members of the public have shared tributes, social media users have also revisited his past, debated his wealth and questioned his relationships with influential figures.
Chivayo's death has generated particularly intense online discussion because of the public nature of his lifestyle. He was known for displaying expensive cars, luxury items, private aircraft and large financial donations. His generosity towards religious leaders and other public figures had also made him a prominent figure on social media, where his gifts were frequently documented and discussed.
The screenshot therefore captures two very different sides of the reaction to his death. Salah’s message presents Chivayo through the language of grief and admiration, while TurboDiesel’s response turns the same post into a joke. The exchange has added another layer to the social media conversation surrounding the businessman’s death, showing how quickly a solemn tribute can become a subject of banter online.