How long can Benjani last at Highlanders, and does Chivayo's money extend the clock?

By Allen Mangava | May 19, 2026 | 4 Min read

Benjani Mwaruwari

When Benjani Mwaruwari walked out of the Mhondoro-Ngezi dugout in 2022, he left behind a record that became a cautionary tale for rookie coaches in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Across 13 games with Ngezi Platinum Stars, the former Warriors captain managed only three wins, six draws, and four defeats.

It was a mediocre return for an ambitious club, prompting management to pull the trigger before the ink on his contract had fully dried.

Fast forward to May 2026, and Mwaruwari finds himself navigating an strangely familiar statistical terrain at Highlanders, albeit with a unique structural twist.

Following the team's latest fixture, Benjani's current record at Bosso after 13 games reads: three wins, nine draws, and one loss.

The striking parallel between his 13-game stint at Ngezi and his opening chapter at Highlanders is impossible to ignore.

In terms of pure numbers, he has secured exactly the same number of victories.

However, while his current side has proved much harder to beat, the relentless accumulation of single-point matches has left the Bulawayo giants drifting in mid-table, well adrift of the pace set by leaders CAPS United.

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At Ngezi, Benjani’s undoing was an inability to convert a solid defensive foundation into an efficient offensive machine.

History is repeating itself at Barbourfields. Early in his tenure, following three consecutive stalemates in March, Benjani openly joked that his side had become "draw specialists."

By April 7, after a grueling sequence of six consecutive draws, he pleaded for patience, telling reporters that "football is a process."

While a 1-0 victory over Scottland FC to lift the Independence Cup on April 19 provided a brief respite and a piece of silverware, it did not solve the underlying tactical issues.

Highlanders are not conceding heavily, but they are failing to kill games off.

The team is caught in a tactical paradox: setting up primarily not to lose rather than playing with the expansive, attacking verve traditionally demanded by the Bosso faithful.

The fans at Barbourfields are notoriously impatient. Historically, the Highlanders executive has rarely tolerated a stretch of nine draws in 13 games.

Under normal circumstances, a return of just 18 points from a possible 39 would have the technical committee drafting a termination letter.

But these are not normal circumstances.

The structural difference keeping Benjani in his job is not found on the training pitch, but rather in the financial backing of Wicknell Chivayo.

In January, Highlanders initially made a U-turn on a deal with South African tactician Thabo Senong to accommodate Chivayo’s explicit demand that Mwaruwari take the head coaching role.

Chivayo subsequently committed US$1 million to the club’s 2026 campaign, with a significant portion allocated directly to underwriting Benjani’s salary.

This financial arrangement has fundamentally altered the accountability chain at one of Zimbabwe's oldest clubs.

In a standard football ecosystem, poor results pressure the board to execute a sacking.

At Highlanders, firing the coach means risking the wrath of the benefactor funding the entire sporting project.

This dynamic echoes recent events at Scottland FC, where Chivayo’s financial clout overrode football merit, resulting in the immediate replacement of Genesis Ndiraya despite a championship-winning campaign.

While the Highlanders board has maintained publicly that administrative and employment decisions remain strictly independent, the reality on the ground suggests a profound financial dependency.

The board is fully aware that cutting ties with Benjani could mean cutting ties with the capital that sustains them.

Can Benjani break the cycle before the goodwill of the fans completely evaporates?

Relief may be on the horizon.

The club is currently in advanced talks to sign striker Knox Mutizwa.

If the deal materializes, Mutizwa’s proven goal-scoring pedigree could unlock a stagnant frontline, turn single points into threes, and validate the board's forced patience.

Until then, Benjani remains protected not by the undeniable quality of his team's football, but by the sheer weight of a benefactor's wallet.

The parallel to his failure at Ngezi Platinum is vivid, but as long as the cash flows, the clock at Barbourfields ticks just a little slower.

This detailed analysis of Benjani Mwaruwari's coaching career from his early days to his executive role offers crucial context on his tactical approach and professional journey.

Watch Benjani Mwaruwari In Conversation with Trevor to understand his perspective.