Kelvin Kaindu finally tenders resignation Kelvin Kaindu
Kelvin Kaindu

Kelvin Kaindu

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
KELVIN Kaindu finally resigned as Highlanders FC head coach. The Zambian delivered his resignation letter to the club after office hours on Friday. As earlier reported by Chronicle Sport last Tuesday, Kaindu quit the club after their 1-3 defeat to ZPC Kariba which effectively left Bosso with a slim chance of competing for the championship as they now trail pacesetters Dynamos by seven points with six games left.

Bosso chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede yesterday said he was going to inform his superiors of Kaindu’s official departure at last night’s weekly review meeting.
“The coach submitted his resignation letter on Friday after hours when I was already getting into my car to drive away to my farm. I spent the weekend there and for that reason, my bosses are not even aware of Kaindu’s official exit. I will brief them tonight during our meeting,” Gumede said.

By demanding a written resignation, Highlanders were shielding themselves from possible litigation.
What had been stalling Kaindu’s exit was the severance package with the club prepared to pay the Zambian expatriate a month’s salary which would have made Bosso part with at least $12,000.

Highlanders also wanted Kaindu to write-off airfares that the coach used to travel for his overseas training programmes as well as to Zambia for the Caf A Licence as they were of the view that they did not gain much from those trips. However, since Tuesday last week, Kaindu and his former paymasters could not agree on his package and after Friday’s afternoon meeting, the club put pressure on him to round up the matter.

He told the club’s top hierarchy that he wanted to consult his advisors after a figure was thrown at him and it seems the club ended up taking a compromise as they conceded to paying him two months’ salary as well as other allowances which amounted to about $18,000. Kaindu left the country on Saturday and is expected next week to collect his dues.

“I can’t divulge the monetary side involved in his departure until I have briefed my superiors and given the go ahead to do so because contracts are confidential matters,” Gumede said.

Kaindu’s three-year reign at the helm of the club saw him win the 2013 Mbada Diamonds Cup with the league title eluding him twice, losing it on inferior goal difference to Dynamos.

Gumede confirmed the elevation of Mark Mathe to acting head coach until a substantive appointment of a gaffer to replace Kaindu is made. Mathe has been in charge of the team’s training sessions since Kaindu decided to throw in the towel last Monday.

Mathe will have full authority of the team when league action resumes this weekend after a break due to the OneWallet Sup8r Cup final which Dynamos lost to Triangle United. Highlanders will be away to Caps United who they beat 4-0 in the first leg played at the beginning of May in Bulawayo.

Ironically, it was Mathe who was in charge of the team when they dismantled Caps United while Kaindu was attending a high-level coaching course in the UK.
Now they face a Caps United that is third on the table, three points ahead of them and with the championship within reach, Highlanders should expect a tough game in Harare. In their last visit to the capital, Bosso lost 0-1 to Harare City and go into the game smarting from a 1-3 defeat to ZPC Kariba who are also in the title race.

It remains to be seen whether Mathe, who has had coaching stints with Chicken Inn, defunct Gwanda club McInn FC and Zimbabwe Saints, could be the saviour of Bosso who are faced with a possibility of failing to defend their Mbada Diamonds Cup.

Only the top four teams at the end of the season will participate in the Mbada Diamonds Cup whose budget has been reduced to $250,000 from $1 million and Highlanders’ position is under threat.

Since the turn of the last half, Highlanders’ performances have been below standard managing just nine points from a possible 27.
Remaining Top 5 Castle Lager Premier League Fixtures
Week 25: Caps United v Highlanders, Buffaloes v Dynamos, ZPC Kariba v Triangle United, Hwange v How Mine
Week 26: Dynamos v Chapungu, Highlanders v Chicken Inn, FC Platinum v ZPC Kariba, Black Rhinos v Hwange, Triangle v Caps United
Week 27: Hwange v Highlanders, Caps United v FC Platinum, Harare City v Dynamos, ZPC Kariba v Buffaloes
Week 28: Highlanders v Chiredzi, Dynamos v Bantu Rovers, Harare City v ZPC Kariba, Buffaloes v Caps United, Triangle v Hwange
Week 29: Shabanie Mine v Highlanders, Hwange v FC Platinum, Caps United v Harare City, ZPC Kariba v Dynamos
Week 30: Dynamos v How Mine, Buffaloes v Hwange, ZPC Kariba v Caps United, Highlanders v Chapungu.

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