Highlanders coach Benjani Mwaruwari was forced to miss Sunday’s Chibuku Super Cup first-round clash against Chicken Inn after being hospitalised.
The former Zimbabwe international was admitted to a local health facility after falling ill.
Highlanders confirmed that Mwaruwari would not be available for the Bulawayo derby as he recovered.
His assistant, Mkhokheli Dube, stepped in to take charge of the team from the touchline.
Also Read: Highlanders FC Dismiss Benjani Mwaruwari Resignation Reports Ahead Of Chicken Inn Derby
Coach Told To Rest
Acting Highlanders chairman Kindman Ndlovu confirmed that Mwaruwari had spent several hours receiving medical attention.
“He spent a few hours in hospital. He needs to rest and recover fully,” Ndlovu said.
The club has not disclosed the nature of the illness.
Mwaruwari’s absence comes at a challenging time for the Bulawayo giants.
Club Dismisses Resignation Claims
The hospitalisation came just a day after Highlanders rejected reports that Mwaruwari had resigned.
Ndlovu said the club had received no resignation from the coach.
He maintained that Mwaruwari remained in charge despite reports circulating on social media.
He added that he had spoken to Mwaruwari on Friday, with the coach reportedly surprised by the resignation claims.
“As far as we are concerned, the coach is at work. I spoke to him yesterday (Friday) and he said he is also surprised with the reports that he has resigned.”
Highlanders FC Facing Internal Challenges
The club acknowledged that it is dealing with difficulties within the team.
Ndlovu revealed that players had previously refused to train amid the ongoing challenges.
However, he dismissed claims that Mwaruwari had stepped down as inaccurate social media reports.
“Of course, there are challenges. The players were refusing to train. This information about the coach quitting is false information spreading on social media platforms.”
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