Thabo Senong Speaks Out: Highlanders Appointment of Benjani Mwaruwari a Betrayal

Following the appointment of Benjani Mwaruwari as the new Highlanders coach, South African coach Thabo Senong has broken his silence on what transpired between him and the Bulawayo-based team. Senong was unveiled as Highlanders' new coach earlier this month, but his stay at the club was short-lived, with Mwaruwari swiftly replacing him.

The South African gaffer spent only five days in Zimbabwe before being ordered to leave the country by immigration officers, who said he could only return once his work permit was finalized. During his absence, Highlanders went on to appoint Warriors legend Benjani Mwaruwari as their new head coach.

"I was ordered to leave the country on short notice, with only two hours to comply, and they said they would notify me when to come back once my work permit was sorted," Senong said in an interview on Metro FM in South Africa. "What surprised me is that I was given 30 days by the same immigration officials when I arrived in their country, and the funny part is that a new coach was appointed following this incident. So, yeah, I am disappointed because Highlanders lied to me; they should have been honest enough regarding the whole situation."

The former Sekhukhune United coach had signed a two-year contract with Highlanders, set to run until December 2027. After Mwaruwari's appointment, Highlanders reportedly offered Senong the chance to work as Benjani's assistant, an offer he declined.

"Highlanders then wanted me to work as Benjani's assistant, but I could not do that because the coach has his own philosophy, so I felt he needed his own room," Senong added. "Currently, we are negotiating for a contract termination, so my handlers are in touch with the club."

Highlanders are said to have breached their contractual agreement with Senong, and should the coach escalate the matter to FIFA, the team could face serious consequences. Just two weeks ago, Highlanders were reportedly dragged to FIFA by former coach Pieter De Jong over failure to honor contractual obligations .