Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE city of Bulawayo has stepped forward with a firm promise. When Highlanders mark their 100th anniversary next year, the celebrations will not be a club affair; they will be a city event. It is a nod to a team that has grown from a community side into one of Bulawayo’s strongest cultural anchors.
Bosso, founded in 1926, will mark the milestone with a year of activities that were outlined at a Corporate Breakfast launch held on Wednesday. Speakers shared plans that stretch far beyond football, weaving together heritage, sport and community pride.
“Our city will proudly be part of the centenary celebrations. You cannot speak of Bulawayo without speaking of Highlanders,” said Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, who spoke on behalf of City Mayor Councillor David Coltart.
“Highlanders always bring smiles to the people of this city and who are not to support them, then we are not a city. This is royalty at its best and we will always seek to see them do well. This is a cultural city and without the mention of the name Bosso, we are doomed,” said Ndlovu.
The celebrations will run under the theme “Beyond Football: Inspiring Generations, celebrating a passion-driven century rooted in pride, culture and football.” With City Hall backing the project, Highlanders aim to deliver a centenary programme that captures both memory and imagination.
Bosso’s story traces back to Albert and Rhodes Khumalo, grandsons of King Lobengula, and the club’s journey has always mirrored the identity of Bulawayo. A century later, that legacy is being shaped into something that speaks to the next hundred years.
Head of marketing and publicity Possenti Sikhosana said the club will roll out ambitious legacy projects that bring together culture, community and long-term development. Ahead of the public launch on December 22, Highlanders are reaching out to partners for support on infrastructure and heritage initiatives that will strengthen the club’s footprint beyond match days.
The plans include a Highlanders museum that will capture the club’s history and honour its icons, a commemorative Century Magazine, the Umcimbi weBosso musical showcase, and a community-focused Marathon that is expected to take its place among the city’s major annual events. There are also proposals for an amusement park and improved female-friendly stadium facilities to create a more welcoming match day environment.
Club officials said the centenary is a chance to give back to Bulawayo through projects that uplift communities and reinforce the club’s roots.
“We are not here for charity, we are here to invest back into the city through activities that promote culture, pride and football,” said Sikhosana.
The programme brings together Highlanders’ history and its future, setting out a vision that celebrates tradition while preparing the club for the next century as both a sporting force and a cultural pillar for the region.
