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Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS are rewriting their coaching plan again, with former Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwari now set to take charge as head coach while South African Thabo Senong drops into the assistant role in a late twist to Bosso’s technical restructure.
The switch is a sharp turn from the club’s earlier direction, where Senong had been positioned to lead the team, but sources say the Highlanders leadership and the club’s key benefactor are still not fully aligned on the final structure, leaving the appointments hanging without a formal announcement. Insiders close to the talks say discussions have moved deep into the final stages, but there is still no signed off agreement, even though Mwaruwari is expected in Bulawayo on Thursday if the last details are cleared.
That delay is now the story inside the story. Benjani, despite being the name at the centre of the new plan, is still waiting for official communication from the club before he can treat the job as his, and sources say the lack of one clear decision making voice is slowing everything down. The reshuffle is part of a broader reset behind the scenes, with Senong now pencilled in as assistant coach, Mkhokheli Dube expected to come in as second assistant, and Bruce Tshuma taking over the team manager role as
Highlanders try to build a new support structure around the incoming head coach. Those involved have been talking already. Sources say communication between Mwaruwari, Senong and Dube has been ongoing in recent days, a move seen as an attempt to soften the landing and avoid the kind of confusion that has followed previous transitions at the club.
Businessman and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo has emerged as the key influence in the new direction after offering to pay Mwaruwari’s salary, a financial intervention that insiders say helped tilt the technical structure away from Senong as the main man.
Chivayo is also said to have pledged support for a pre-season camp and promised funds for player recruitment, raising expectations among supporters who have watched Bosso fall short in recent seasons and now want visible backing, not just promises.
Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe and deputy Fiso Siziba travelled to Harare this week to engage stakeholders as the club tries to close the gap between what is being discussed privately and what can be confirmed publicly. Chief executive officer Denzil Mnkandla would not be drawn into naming the sponsors involved, only confirming the leadership had gone to meet funders.
“We are going to see our principal sponsors and another sponsor whom I will not mention right now,” Mnkandla said. Mwaruwari’s rise into pole position comes days after he completed a Diploma in Professional Soccer Coaching in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on Monday evening, ending a three year stretch of upgrading his qualifications at the Plymouth Argyle Academy training ground.
“Good, this one is behind my back,” Mwaruwari said after graduating, a short line that captured both relief and readiness as he waits for the next step in his coaching journey.
Sources close to the former Portsmouth striker say he has seen the reports linking him to Highlanders, but he is refusing to move on speculation and wants the club to speak directly before he packs for Bulawayo.
“He has read the reports online, but nothing is official. Benjani is ready to work, but he is waiting for formal confirmation from the club and the benefactor,” said a source.
The final decisions will close the gap left by Pieter de Jongh, whose contract was not renewed beyond December 31, and the new structure, if confirmed, will mark a major turning point for Highlanders as they try to reset after another season of pressure, boardroom noise and fan impatience.
Online Reporter