Staff Reporter
WARRIORS legend and former national team captain Benjani Mwaruwari has taken a significant step in his post-playing career after attaining the English Premier League’s Diploma of Higher Education in Football Coaching, becoming the first Zimbabwean to achieve the qualification.
Mwaruwari completed the programme after three years of study in the United Kingdom, during which he was attached to former Premier League side Plymouth Argyle, where he continues to work with the club’s development teams.
“This graduation is not the destination, but the beginning of a long and purposeful journey in football coaching,” Mwaruwari said in a post on his Facebook page.
Speaking to Bhora Afrika from the UK, the former Portsmouth, Manchester City, and Sunderland striker said the qualification was part of a deliberate effort to prepare himself for a future role in football management and development, particularly in Zimbabwe.
“I am intentionally equipping myself so that when the opportunity comes, I can give back to the game that gave me so much,” he said.
Only hours after news of his qualification became public, businessman Wicknell Chivhayo announced a gift to Mwaruwari in the form of Highlanders Football Club regalia, a gesture that has stirred conversation across the local football fraternity.
The development is particularly noteworthy given that Highlanders had earlier passed over Mwaruwari for the head coach position, opting instead to appoint South African tactician Thabo Senong.
At the time, club officials cited experience and immediate results as key considerations in their decision.
However, sources close to the Bulawayo giants say the club has since been forced to confront the depth of its financial challenges, with Highlanders reportedly struggling to meet operational costs, including player salaries and logistical expenses.
Against that backdrop, Chivhayo’s gesture has been interpreted by some observers as both symbolic support for Mwaruwari’s coaching ambitions and a subtle commentary on the club’s current predicament.
Highlanders have not issued an official statement linking the gift to their coaching decisions or financial position.
For Mwaruwari, the moment marks a personal milestone rather than a political statement.
“This is about growth, learning, and being ready,” he said.
“Zimbabwean football needs properly trained people at every level.”
As his coaching credentials continue to grow within the English system, attention is likely to intensify around when and where Benjani Mwaruwari’s next chapter in African football will unfold.
