Highlanders Coach, Benjani Mwaruwari, Goes Three Months Without Pay

Highlanders coach Benjani Mwaruwari has reportedly gone three months without pay after a payment chain between the club and its sponsor, Wicknell Chivayo’s associates, broke down.

The 47-year-old, who took charge of the Bulawayo club in January, has received just one salary payment since his appointment.

Several contractual obligations also remain unmet, including the provision of a phone, a laptop, match bonuses and accommodation.

A tense meeting last week between Mwaruwari and chief executive Denzil Mnkandla ended without resolution, with Mnkandla reportedly indicating that the club was not responsible for the delays.

The dispute has cast a spotlight on the structure of Chivayo’s US$1 million sponsorship deal for the 2026 season, under which funds are not paid directly to the club but channelled through his lawyers and a curator, Jabulani Nkomo, who controls disbursements.

“Every month the club must generate a note to Nkomo listing what is due to the coach, including results-based bonuses,” said a source familiar with the arrangement.

“Nkomo in turn, instructs Chivayo’s lawyer to execute payment. It appears that the process has broken down somewhere and is creating this unfortunate situation.”

Club officials have expressed frustration over the current arrangement. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the club would prefer to receive sponsorship funds directly into its own account to manage obligations transparently and with proper audit accountability.

Mnkandla, Mwaruwari and Nkomo all declined to comment when contacted.

Despite remaining unbeaten in the 2026 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, Mwaruwari has drawn all seven matches since taking charge of Highlanders.

More: ZimLive