Highlanders Crisis Deepens As Unpaid Players Boycott Training

Bosso In Crisis As Unpaid Players Refuse To Train

• Players go unpaid since February, boycott training

• Coach Benjani Mwaruwari also owed salaries, used own money

• Questions mount over finances despite major sponsorship

Full story below

Bulawayo – A Giant Under Pressure

Highlanders FC are facing a deepening financial crisis, with players reportedly going unpaid for over two months, a situation now threatening to derail their season.

The crisis reached boiling point on Monday when Bosso players refused to train ahead of their midweek clash against Chicken Inn FC, in a clear protest over unpaid wages and allowances dating back to February.

Coach Also Caught In The Storm

The financial strain is not limited to the dressing room. Head coach Benjani Mwaruwari is also reportedly owed salaries and allowances, raising serious concerns about the club’s internal financial stability.

According to a source close to the team, the situation has reached alarming levels. The source revealed:

“What is concerning is that the coach had to dig into his own pocket to support the players.” 

Mwaruwari, who was brought in amid high expectations following financial assurances, is now battling to keep morale intact as off-field issues spill onto the pitch.

Where Is The Money?

The crisis has sparked fresh scrutiny, particularly after the club reportedly received US$250,000 from benefactor Wicknell Chivayo, part of a US$1 million sponsorship package pledged last year.

Chivayo had also indicated he would personally take care of the coach’s salary, yet Mwaruwari remains unpaid, intensifying questions around fund management.

Additional sponsorship from corporate partners has done little to ease the pressure, with concerns emerging over possible financial mismanagement under the current executive led by Kenneth Mhlope.

Governance Concerns Grow

Alarm bells were already ringing at the club’s last Annual General Meeting, where no audited financial report for the 2025 season was presented, a red flag for stakeholders demanding accountability.

The club’s heavy reliance on external bailouts, particularly following past sanctions over unpaid dues to former coach Brito Baltemar and players, has further exposed structural weaknesses in its financial model.

Results Now Tell The Story

On the pitch, the impact is clear. Highlanders are yet to register a win after seven matches, a worrying sign for one of Zimbabwe’s biggest clubs.

With player unrest growing and leadership under pressure, Bosso now face a defining moment: fix the finances or risk a full-blown collapse, both on and off the field.