Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has challenged Highlanders Football Club to build on its 100-year legacy by strengthening its governance, investing in young talent and exploring new commercial opportunities to ensure its sustainability.
Speaking at the club’s Centenary Family Fun Day and Marathon, Prof Ncube said the milestone celebrated generations of players, administrators, supporters, sponsors and well-wishers who had sustained one of Zimbabwe’s most enduring sporting institutions since its establishment in 1926.
He said Highlanders, popularly known as Bosso, had grown beyond football to become a symbol of identity, belonging, loyalty and sporting tradition.
“For a football club to reach its centenary is a testament to the generations of leaders, players, administrators, supporters, sponsors and well-wishers who have contributed to its survival and growth,” he said.
Prof Ncube said the club’s success should be measured not only by its achievements over the past century, but also by its ability to build a sustainable future for generations to come.
He commended the inclusion of a family fun day and marathon in the celebrations, saying the activities promoted healthy living, family values, unity and community participation.
The minister said sport was also an important economic driver, with the potential to create jobs, stimulate business, attract investment and open opportunities for young people.
He challenged Highlanders to leverage its century-old brand by expanding into merchandising, sports tourism, youth academies, women’s football and partnerships with the private sector.
“Realising this potential requires sound governance, transparency, strategic planning, prudent financial management and strong partnerships,” he said.
Prof Ncube also urged corporate Zimbabwe to regard sports sponsorship as an investment in communities and national development, rather than merely a promotional activity.
He said Highlanders had a responsibility to invest in the next generation through youth development programmes, greater participation by girls and women, education and measures to protect young talent.
The club’s long-term success, he added, would depend on sustainable operations, effective leadership, strong youth structures and a clear strategic vision.
“One hundred years behind us. A new generation before us. And a shared responsibility to ensure that the Highlanders legacy continues to inspire for the next hundred years,” Prof Ncube said.
