The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
THE temporary postponement of elections at Highlanders, due to the coronavirus, has not stopped candidates from intensifying their campaigns.
Highlanders were due to hold their elections on February 7, but the exercise was put on hold by the Sports and Recreation Commission, as part of the Covi-19 regulations.
The current executive, led by incumbent chairman Kenneth Mhlope, remains in charge until the elections are held.
However, Mhlope who is seeking another mandate to lead Bosso for the next three years is not taking any chances and has launched a manifesto that outlines his achievements in the last three years and his intentions, should he be re-elected.
Mhlope is being challenged for the chairmanship post by Bulawayo businessman Johnfat Sibanda.
Israel Moyo and Morgen Dube are vying for the secretary-general’s post.
Bheka Sibanda and Mgcini Sibanda square up for the committee member’s position.
In his manifesto, titled Mhlope 4 Bosso Chair, the administrator talks up his intentions to commence mining activities at the club’s newly acquired mine at Inyathi, in Bubi, as part of measures to improve the club’s liquidity.
“We are negotiating with potential joint venture partners for the mining project,” Mhlope says, in his manifesto.
Highlanders have promoted a number of junior players in the last three years, including 20-year-old centre back Andrew Mbeba, who made his senior national team debut at the Chan finals in Cameroon last Sunday.
And Mhlope, whose key campaign theme hinges on continuity, has promised to sustain the junior development programme, if he is re-elected.
“We are finalising negotiations with a kit sponsor for all junior teams up to Bosso 90.
“We want to employ qualified and experienced junior coaches to spearhead the development programmes that will produce world-class players,” he said.
Highlanders, who are the nation’s oldest top flight team, have not won the league title since 2006 but Mhlope says he has a vision to restore Bosso as one of the most achieving teams in the Premier Soccer League.
Under Mhlope’s leadership, Highlanders won the Chibuku Super Cup in 2019, after beating Ngezi Platinum Stars at Barbourfields.
“The plan is to make Highlanders more competitive in the league championship and participate in continental competitions again.
“We want to conclude various sponsorships to avoid reliance on a single sponsor,” says Mhlope.
Strengthening and capacitation of the club’s secretariat in compliance with the Fifa Club Licensing requirements is also part of Mhlope’s plans.
The Highlanders chairman also thanks the club’s stakeholders in his manifesto.
“I thank you for the confidence and support extended to me during my first term. We shared the good and hard times together as Highlanders family.”
Some of the notable achievements made by the Mhlope-led executive include the clearance of legacy debt of over $800 000.
The club also negotiated and concluded a three-year kit sponsorship deal worth US$300 000 with UK based sports apparel, On the Ball.
“We strengthened relations with supporters and stakeholders which ended with the legacy debt being cleared in a campaign led by the South African chapter and the payment of salaries and expenses for all expatriate coaches.
“For the first in (our club’s) history, we managed to recover development fees from former junior players who were sold by other teams.
“We have also gone back to our roots with the appointment of Mandla Mpofu who had a mandate of rebuilding the team from home-grown talent,” says Mhlope.
Some of the upcoming players who have been promoted in the last three years include striker Thabo Lunga who also part of the Under-20 national team at the 2018 Cosafa Championships in Zambia.
Onwell Gombami, younger brother to Honour who won the league championship with Bosso in 2006, Mbongeni Ndlovu, Cardwell Gabaza, Reward Muzi, Daniel Musendami and Ashford Faira are now ready for first team football.
Mhlope added: “We raised funds from stakeholders and managed to pay salaries when there was no income from football after the termination of the NetOne sponsorship.”
