Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS’ persistent financial woes have returned to the spotlight ahead of the club’s Annual General Meeting this Sunday, with revelations that Bosso are languishing approximately US$500 000 in the red. Members gathering at the club’s clubhouse in Bulawayo are expected to demand transparent answers regarding the state of the finances and whether the leadership can finally resolve years of mounting questions over debts and operational management.
Despite the looming pressure, chief executive officer Denzel Mnkandla has declined to pre-empt the official financial report, insisting that the audit process is still being finalised.
“The club has the Exco Member Finance (Nkani Khoza) working with auditors, finalising the audit of the club accounts. My suggestion is to wait for the outcome of the process before pre-empting issues,” Mnkandla stated.
This financial headache is exacerbated by the lingering costs of terminated contracts and unpaid obligations within the technical department — a recurring problem that has haunted the club across multiple seasons. The depth of the crisis was highlighted recently when Highlanders only managed to settle a US$11 000 debt to former coach Kelvin Kaindu in October, months after the Zambian departed mid-year.
The situation now threatens to escalate into a legal minefield, with the club reportedly owing significant sums to former head coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh, assistants Try Ncube and Agent Sawu and goalkeeper trainer, Tembo Chuma. De Jongh’s dispute has allegedly reached the Fifa Legal Portal, reviving fears of international sanctions and a repeat of the club’s past battles with foreign coaches.
Sources indicate that the Dutchman’s claim extends beyond outstanding prize money to include unpaid medical bills incurred in December while he was still under contract. De Jongh has previously asserted that when he wrote to the club demanding his dues, he was told he fell under the same policy applied to the playing squad — a justification he has flatly rejected as a breach of his specific contract.
The crux of the fallout appears to be Highlanders’ attempt to apply an internal “60-40” policy to the coach’s earnings. Under this arrangement, players collectively share 40 percent of prize money while the club retains the remaining 60 percent. De Jongh alleges that after he submitted his written demands, the club attempted to force him into this collective bracket, sparking the current standoff.
For the Bosso faithful attending Sunday’s AGM, the narrative is painfully familiar. The tension surrounding the meeting is rooted in recent history; only three years ago, a dispute with former coach Baltemar Brito resulted in a Fifa transfer ban. That embargo was only lifted after a US$26 000 settlement was bankrolled by businessman, Wicknell Chivayo — a bailout that remains a point of contention whenever fresh financial claims surface.
Adding to the boardroom pressure, Agent Sawu is also reportedly seeking outstanding dues, including compensation for what he considers a breach of contract. This comes as Highlanders attempt to turn the page on a technical team they have already replaced. The club has since moved on to South African tactician Thabo Senong and former striker Mkhokheli “Mshoza” Dube, in an effort to steady the ship on the pitch.
While De Jongh, Ncube and Sawu remain unattached, Tembo Chuma has already found a new home at MWOS FC. His departure leaves Highlanders to face the mounting consequences of their past decisions alone in the boardroom, with Sunday’s meeting set to be one of the most consequential in recent memory.
