Highlanders owe Mhindirira US$10 000?

IN the wake of public utterances that were made by Highlanders incumbent chairman Johnfat Sibanda at the club's annual general meeting (AGM) on Sunday that midfielder Devine Mhindirira is a "bad apple" that they are willing to release, the player has challenged the Bulawayo football giants to pay him his signing-on fees.

Mhindirira (24), is yet to report for duty at Bosso in what he and his wife Bongiwe Gambe (21) said is a protest meant to push Highlanders to honour its financial obligations.

"It's unfortunate that one of the club leaders has decided to go public to describe me in such a particular way. It is really in bad taste because I'm owed my signing-on fees by the club. I have been owed since 2019 and it's now a total of US$10 000.

"I have been constantly getting my salary but to my surprise, priority has been given to other players with regards to getting signing-on fees. No wonder my teammates engaged in a strike today (yesterday). I'm in Harare. I don't have any problem and I did not commit any crime. If they do happen to give me my money, I will come and work extra hard at training. Actually, I should be coming to Bulawayo on Monday to engage the club," said Mhindirira.

Mhindirira and his wife were blessed with a baby girl three months ago and an outspoken Gambe said it has been hard for them to make ends meet.

"Yes, I'm employed but things are tough. We have been trying to help each other with Devine and I think what Highlanders are doing is not fair.

They are just ill-treating my husband and it's really bad that they are now bad mouthing him in the media at a time he should be taking care of his family. For a fact, I know Devine is owed US$10 000 in signing-on fees," said Gambe.

Mhindirira, who saw little game time at Bosso last season, has a contract with Bosso that expires in June.

Last year, the 2022 season Soccer Star of the Year finalist was called for a disciplinary hearing after he missed Bosso's first three weeks of pre-season training.

Mhindirira was charged for breaching article 5 (a) (d) (g) of his contract.

"Failure to attend training sessions. Failure to carry activities as assigned to you by the club that is to say you failed to attend medicals. By failure to sections above you thus put the name of the club into disrepute," read the club's notification letter of his hearing. The player was let off the hook as he was still owed his 2019 signing on fee as well as the signing on fee from 2022 when he extended his contract.

Sibanda told the club's members at their annual general meeting that Mhindirira was no longer in their plans.

The 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season is expected to start on February 24.

Impeccable sources told 'Zimpapers Sports Hub' that various clubs have already started to engage the player chief among them being CAPS United, Ngezi Platinum Stars and FC Platinum.