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Unlike Zifa who blundered on organising a permit for Tom Saintfiet leading to his deportation, Bosso officials are said to have arranged Kaindu’s papers late last year.
Sources at immigration confirmed that the fading Bulawayo giants, who hope that Kaindu will bring back the glory days, had sorted everything above board well in advance.
“They brought their papers before Christmas for processing and everything is in order,” said the immigration source.
Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said they had written a supporting letter for Highlanders that should have been attached when applying for a work permit.
“They (Highlanders) justified why they wanted to hire a foreign coach and we wrote a supporting letter late last year. After that I don’t know what happened but you can check with the club or immigration,” Mashingaidze said.
Themba Ndlela, Highlanders’ chairman, was not available for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered, and the secretary Andrew Tapela referred all questions to the former.
Meanwhile, the ambitious Highlanders coach Kaindu yesterday watched from the terraces as his assistant Bekithemba Ndlovu took the players through their paces.
Over 40 players attended the training session with most coming from lower division teams.
What might have made players come in their numbers to try and impress the Zambian gaffer could be the fact that Highlanders, through their BancABC Bank sponsorship deal, get their salaries on time.
The leading financial institution, which also has running deals with Dynamos and Black Mambas, takes care of Highlanders’ technical team bills as well.
Kaindu can work with ease and on his arrival on Monday night he declared that he wanted to win trophies at the Bulawayo club.
Yesterday he sat it out with manager Amin Soma-Phiri.
“I want to treble my achievements as a coach. Of course, I played for Highlanders but there is a difference coming back as a coach,” said the ex-Bosso winger.
Highlanders last won the league in 2006 and with the club’s executive saying the contract given to the technical team was performance-driven, Kaindu is hard-pressed to assemble a championship-winning squad.
The new coach is expected to take full charge of the training programme tomorrow as he was still familiarising himself with the players yesterday.
Some of the players seemed to be overwhelmed by the presence of Kaindu as they were struggling with moving with the ball, passing as well as controlling it.
The Highlanders’ executive managed to retain the bulk of their players from last season with only Gilbert Banda, Louis Matawu, goalkeeper Lovemore Makwavarara and Misheck Mburayi leaving the club.
Some of the players that were not at the club last season who went through yesterday’s training session include creative and pacy attacking midfielder Mpumelelo “Makwe” Moyo who had trials at Moroka Swallows last year, Quelaton’s speed merchant striker Kundishora Chakanyuka, Danisa Phiri, Dumisani “Fazo” Ndlovu, Moreblessing Nyokanhete and goalkeeper Wonder Peperere.
Online Reporter