Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS are closing in on a fresh leadership model that places Benjani Mwaruwari at the heart of long term planning while Thabo Senong takes command on the touchline. The club has kept the restructuring quiet as it works to make sure the two form a working partnership, strong enough to steady the team and push it forward.
The final announcement is expected once the pair meet and agree on how they will run the project together. Senong, 45, arrives with a coaching record that stretches across clubs and national teams in southern Africa. He has led Singida Fountain Gate in Tanzania, worked with the Orlando Pirates developmental side, guided South Africa’s Under 20s and most recently coached Lesotho. His grounding in youth development and his organised approach to the game are seen as a good match for Mwaruwari, whose playing career and knowledge of Zimbabwean football still carry weight inside the country’s dressing rooms.
While preparing for the new structure, Highlanders have started to reorganise the current technical bench. Assistant coaches Try Ncube and Agent Sawu have been told they will not continue next season. The club is discussing exit terms with both since they still have running contracts and Bosso want the transition handled with respect.
A source close to the conversations said the incoming setup will include Senong’s preferred assistant and an analyst, while a local coach will step in as the second assistant. “The club is certainly going for a former player as part of the technical team,” said the source, pointing to a blend of international experience and homegrown understanding.
This change of direction comes after earlier debate over who should lead the team. Benefactor Wicknell Chivayo had pushed for Mwaruwari to take over as head coach and had even agreed to cover his wages. The board chose a different route. They turned down the idea and placed him in the technical director role instead, keeping the right to appoint the head coach on their own terms.
Mwaruwari’s time as a coach remains short. His only spell in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League lasted half a year in 2022 before Ngezi Platinum dismissed him. Even so, Bosso believe his stature and feel for the local game will be valuable as he steps into a position built around long-term planning rather than day to day tactics.
