Online Reporter
Sports Hub Reporter
The mood around Bulawayo Premier Soccer League giants Highlanders is beginning to change.
For weeks, doubt, frustration and anxiety stalked the black-and-white faithful as results failed to match the weight of expectation that comes with wearing the Bosso jersey. But after a gritty 1-0 victory over Hardrock in Kwekwe — a match many had predicted Highlanders would lose — something shifted among the club’s supporters. Hope returned.
The win was not just another three points. It felt symbolic — a glimpse of a team slowly finding its identity under coach Benjani Mwaruwari, a man who is gradually winning over the notoriously demanding Bosso faithful.
Highlanders now sit 10th on the 18-team log standings, having won three matches, lost one and drawn eight. While those numbers may not yet scream title contenders, the deeper story lies in the club’s recent performances, resilience and growing cohesion. For a club navigating transition, that matters.
What stood out most after the Kwekwe victory was not only the result, but the emotional response from supporters, many of whom used the moment to call for unity, patience and collective responsibility in rebuilding the institution.
In interviews conducted by Highlanders Media after the match, supporters openly thanked sponsors — particularly businessman Sir Wicknell Chivayo and Sakunda Holdings — for backing the club during difficult times.
“Today we are happy. We thank the sponsors for putting money into Highlanders,” said one supporter.
“We are a community team and thank those who have assisted the club. We thank Sakunda and we thank Sir Chivayo. As supporters we will play our part and support the team. When we sing, let’s sing good songs and not denigrate other people because at Highlanders we are one.”
Those words reflected more than celebration. They reflected a growing realisation among supporters that modern football survival depends not only on passion in the terraces, but also on financial backing, institutional stability and unity of purpose.
Another supporter praised the changing atmosphere around the team and reserved special mention for Mwaruwari and his technical team.
“The game was good, special mention to Benjani and his technical team. Us supporters sang and supported the team. Let’s keep the spirit. We want songs that motivate the players and not insult players or other people. Highlanders is a rainbow nation and everyone must feel at home.”
That phrase — “Highlanders is a rainbow nation” — perhaps captures the deeper battle currently taking place at Bosso.
For years, the club’s strength has come from its identity as a people’s institution — emotionally powerful, culturally symbolic and fiercely community-driven. But that same passion has at times become destructive, turning inward during difficult periods.
Now, amid the club’s centenary year, sections of the fan base appear to be embracing a different approach: backing the team instead of breaking it apart. Even Mwaruwari himself has consistently appealed for patience, arguing that the team needed time to gel after limited preparation ahead of the season.
Results are beginning to support his argument.
Another fan admitted he initially doubted the former Zimbabwe international’s appointment.
“When Benjani was hired I had my doubts. But after meeting him and hearing him explain his philosophy, I now understand him, and I’m happy results are coming up,” the supporter confessed.
The supporter, however, also challenged players to fully commit themselves to the Bosso cause.
“The other problem is that some players do not have the heart for the club. Some play for Highlanders but their hearts are elsewhere. We need players who are fully committed.”
That honesty reflects the high emotional standards demanded at Highlanders — a club where supporters do not merely want talent, but emotional investment. And perhaps that is why the Hardrock victory resonated so deeply. This is beyond the scoreline, supporters saw effort, structure, fight and signs of a team slowly responding to its coach.
After months of turbulence, Bosso suddenly look capable of climbing the table. They host Ngezi Platinum at Babourfields Stadium on Sunday where a full house is expected. Despite leadership challenges that have seen players boycott training on two occasions over non-payment of salaries and bonuses so far, however, for now, the noise around Highlanders is no longer dominated by anger or panic. Instead, it is increasingly filled with something the club has desperately needed: Belief.
