Highlanders free to fire Benjani if he fails, says Chivayo

BUSINESSMAN Wicknel Chivayo has dismissed claims that he holds ultimate authority over the future of Benjani Mwaruwari at Highlanders, insisting that the club retains full control over the coach's tenure and can part ways with him if results do not improve.

Chivayo said suggestions that he would decide Mwaruwari's fate at Bosso are misplaced and amount to what he described as factual malice.

"If he fails to deliver, the club can change him. It's within them," Chivayo said. "The belief that I have the final authority on what happens to Benjani is not true."

He explained that his involvement was limited to suggesting Mwaruwari's name, motivated by a desire to see local football talent given opportunities at top clubs.

"We only suggested because we need local content," Chivayo said. "Benjie came to my house and told me that he now has football qualifications and wanted to work back home. I then said to him, why don't you try Highlanders? You are a local boy as well."

Chivayo said the timing of the discussion coincided with Highlanders' search for a new coach, prompting him to approach the Bulawayo giants with the suggestion. However, he said Bosso had already initiated talks with a South African coach at the time.

"We suggested that to Highlanders and they told me they had already reached an agreement with a South African coach," Chivayo said. "I told them it was fine, as long as they were going to pay his packages, because I was not going to be part of it."

Highlanders later appointed former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari as head coach, a move that has drawn significant public attention due to his high profile and Chivayo's known association with the club.

Chivayo reiterated that Mwaruwari, like any other coach, will be judged on performance, and that decisions regarding his future rest squarely with Highlanders' leadership.