Former Zimbabwe national team striker, Benjani Mwaruwari (33) will have his testimonial match in Harare on May 26th between an All-stars side and the Warriors side at Harare’s National Sport Stadium. Mwaruwari has invited some well known past and current African players to the match. Among those expected are Mwaruwari’s former teammates, Kolo Toure, Sulley Muntari and Nwankwo Kanu.
Mwaruwari has had a chequered career that started in Bulawayo where he was born; he played for Lulu Rovers and University of Zimbabwe and Air Zimbabwe Jets before a move to Jomo Cosmos in neighbouring South Africa.After a loan spell at Swiss side Grasshoppers, he was signed by AJ Auxerre in France before Harry Redknapp brought him to Portsmouth in 2006. He went on to play for Manchester City, Sunderland (on loan) and Blackburn in the English premiership before returning to Portsmouth in the second English football league tier at the start of the current 2011-2012 season.

Mwaruwari played for Zimbabwe Warriors 44 times scoring 29 goals. He also captained the national team towards the end of his international career.  Mwaruwari is out of contract at Portsmouth at the end of this season and he may wind up his playing days in England by playing in South African premier league. His former mentor at Jomo Cosmos, Jomo Sono will be in Harare for the testimonial assisting with coaching duties. Other South Africans invited to the match include, Lucas Radebe, Aaron Mokoena and Steven Pienaar.
According to a local Zimbabwean website, Mwaruwari is quoted as saying that among the stars who have confirmed attendance are Cameroun and Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, Ivory Coast stars Emmanuel Eboue (Galatasaray), Didier Drogba (Chelsea) and Togo and Tottenham forward Emmanuel Adebayor and Michael Essien (Chelsea). Zimbabwean’s most capped international and former captain Peter Ndlovu and another former warrior’s skipper, Noman Mapeza will feature for Mwaruwari’s All-Star side.