Wicknell Chivayo Fulfils Late VP John Landa Nkomo’s Wish with US$1 Million Highlanders FC Sponsorship
Wicknell Chivayo Fulfils Late VP John Landa Nkomo’s Wish with US$1 Million Highlanders FC Sponsorship – Flamboyant Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has pledged a massive US$1 million sponsorship package to Highlanders Football Club, honouring a solemn deathbed promise he made to his late uncle, former Vice President John Landa Nkomo.
Taking to social media on Wednesday, 11 June, Chivayo expressed his deep-rooted connection to the iconic Bulawayo-based side, affectionately known as Bosso, while unveiling an ambitious support plan designed to reinvigorate the club and solidify its legacy in local football.
“Being the avid football supporter that he was, he asked me to assist Highlanders FC in every possible way, in order to preserve its HISTORY, shape its FUTURE, and create a lasting LEGACY of the football club in Zimbabwe, for GENERATIONS to come,” said Chivayo.
The sponsorship begins with an immediate US$250,000 cash injection to address pressing administrative needs. The balance — US$750,000 — will be released over the coming year to fund new player acquisitions, sign-on fees, and other strategic priorities as the club gears up for a stronger showing in the 2025 Premier Soccer League season.
To ensure transparency and proper use of funds, Chivayo appointed Jabulani Nkomo, a respected Bulawayo businessman and relative, to serve in a curatorship role.
“His involvement will only be to work closely with the leadership of Highlanders FC, ensuring that the disbursement of this sponsorship is strictly in accordance with the club’s budgeted expenditures to support player welfare and strengthen administrative excellence,” he added.
Chivayo described Highlanders — established in 1926 by the grandsons of King Lobengula — as a “phenomenal cultural icon that represents heritage, pride, and unity.”
He further aligned the sponsorship with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, calling on more private sector players to support sports development as part of national progress.
“It is my humble conviction that there should be significant private-sector involvement in sports development, in order to make a notable difference to the game of football,” said Chivayo.
This is not Chivayo’s first act of generosity toward Highlanders. Earlier this year, he helped the club avoid a FIFA-imposed transfer ban by clearing a US$27,000 debt owed to former coach Baltemar Brito and his assistant Antonio Joao Torres. That critical intervention allowed the club to register new players ahead of the 2024 season.
In 2017, Chivayo also stepped in to settle a US$4,000 fine after crowd trouble erupted during a match against fierce rivals Dynamos.
