A disastrous advertisement of Zimbabwean football

HIGHLANDERS FC's controversial appointment of former Warriors striker Benjani Mwaruwari, coupled with the abrupt and dramatic dismissal of South African coach Thabo Senong, has been widely condemned as one of the most damaging episodes in Zimbabwean football administration in recent years.

The saga has drawn regional attention after Senong broke his silence in an interview with a leading South African sports presenter on Metro FM, where he said he would not wish the experience he endured at Bosso on anyone.

Senong, a former Sekhukhune United and Singida Black Stars assistant coach, had been appointed amid optimism and fanfare just three weeks earlier. Highlanders executives welcomed him at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport before formally presenting him at the club's offices, a gesture that signalled confidence in his leadership as head coach.

That optimism unravelled rapidly.

According to Senong, Highlanders chief executive officer Denzil Mkandla later informed him that immigration officials were demanding that he process his work visa from South Africa, despite the coach still being legally permitted to remain in Zimbabwe for 30 days.

He was given less than two hours to leave the country.

"I still had 30 days to stay, a situation that qualified me to wait for the permit while in Bulawayo. The executive could have made sure I stayed," Senong said.

"No one deserves to experience what I experienced."

Forced to leave in haste, Senong departed Bulawayo leaving some of his personal belongings behind and landed in Johannesburg by around 2pm, still believing that Highlanders would honour their original agreement once administrative issues were resolved.

Unbeknown to him, his sudden exit had cleared the way for what many now describe as a premeditated Plan B — the appointment of Mwaruwari, a move long said to have been demanded by club benefactor Wicknell Chivayo as far back as last year.

As rumours swirled, radio silence followed from the club. Speculation mounted that Senong would not be sitting on the Barbourfields Stadium bench, that Chivayo was set to get his way, and that his work permit application might never be processed.

In the midst of the turmoil, Highlanders executive members — including Mkandla and executive vice-chairperson Fiso Siziba — travelled to Harare in search of financial support as the new season approached.

Siziba later said the delegation had gone to meet former principal sponsors Sakunda Holdings, not Chivayo. Yet they returned to Bulawayo with Mwaruwari's letter of appointment already prepared.

In an apparent attempt to placate Senong, Bosso subsequently offered him alternative roles — first as assistant coach reporting to Mwaruwari, and later as technical director, replacing club legend Madinda Ndlovu. Senong rejected both proposals.

"After a week's silence, between the 18th and 22nd of January, I was advised to take a different role at the club," he said.

"It is clear that there was no truth, and it is one of the reasons why I refused to be an assistant coach or technical director. All the trust was lost and I decided to step aside. They were not honest with me and disrupted my plans."

Senong said he is now waiting for the formal termination of his employment agreement, expressing a desire to avoid escalating the matter to FIFA.

"I now just have to trust the process of coming up with the termination of employment agreement. We would not want to go through FIFA and all that," he said.

According to Senong, Mkandla privately explained the developments as "changes needed by financial backers" — a phrase Senong interprets as meaning the club could not refuse Chivayo's insistence on Mwaruwari's appointment.

What began as excitement around Senong's arrival has since been replaced by bitter debate among Highlanders supporters and the wider football community, with questions being asked about governance, transparency and the growing influence of financiers in club decision-making.

While some critics had raised concerns about Senong's experience relative to the magnitude of the Bosso job, others argue that the manner of his removal signals a profound shift in the club's identity.

To them, the episode marks the end of the Highlanders of old — guided by principle, consultation and the ethos of iTeam Yezwe Lonke — and the beginning of a new era shaped as much by money as by footballing merit.