Sofapaka FC have confirmed the appointment of experienced tactician Edward Manoah as their new head coach as the club looks to revive its struggling Sportpesa Premier League campaign.
The appointment follows changes within the club’s technical bench after former head coach Ezekiel Akwana was relieved of his duties last month. Abdala Juma, who had been serving as interim coach, is set to undergo surgery due to health concerns, while his position within the technical bench following Manoah’s appointment remains unclear.
Manoah now steps into the role facing a daunting assignment. The 2009 Kenyan Premier League champions currently sit at the bottom of the table with just 14 points from 23 matches and remain six points away from safety as the relegation battle intensifies.
The veteran tactician joins Sofapaka from Mara Sugar under dramatic circumstances. Manoah is reported to have parted ways with Mara Sugar following a fallout with the club’s management. His final match in charge of Mara Sugar ironically came against his new employers, guiding the side to a convincing 3–1 victory over Sofapaka before informing the club he had left his role as head coach.
Despite the magnitude of the challenge ahead, Manoah is well known for handling difficult situations. Last season, Mara Sugar sought his services when the club was hovering dangerously close to relegation. Taking over when the team was placed 14th, he managed to steady their campaign and ultimately guided them to safety by the end of the season.
A CAF A licensed coach, Manoah brings extensive experience from across Kenyan football. Over the years he has handled several clubs including Kakamega Homeboyz, Vihiga Bullets, Vihiga United and Mara Sugar, while also having a stint with AFC Leopards earlier in his coaching career.
Among his notable achievements is stabilizing Mara Sugar during the 2025 campaign. Appointed in May to rescue the struggling top-flight side, he helped the club retain their Premier League status on the final day of the season. He also earned recognition for securing high-profile results, including a memorable 2–0 victory over AFC Leopards in November 2025 that ended Ingwe’s impressive 14-match unbeaten run.
His work with Vihiga United also remains a key highlight. During spells between 2017 and 2021, Manoah guided the club through both promotion pushes and tough relegation battles, earning a reputation as a steady and influential figure within the squad.
Speaking after taking up the role at Sofapaka, Manoah admitted the scale of the challenge but expressed optimism that the situation can be turned around.
“I’m excited, but it’s a complicated and tough challenge,” he said.
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The coach will also be working with a squad that has recently undergone a significant overhaul following the arrival of several new signings.
“They are new and I’m new. We have met in football circles before, so we’ll try to work in the shortest way possible to overturn the results,” Manoah noted.
Explaining his approach to the task ahead, Manoah used a simple metaphor to describe the urgency facing the team.
“There are two escape routes ,one leading forward to the destination and another going back to where we came from. We have to choose the former.”
Manoah also revealed that his early days at the club have focused on rebuilding the players’ confidence.
“This is my second day. The biggest task right now is to prepare them mentally. We had a successful meeting yesterday and we hope for a good response from the players tomorrow so we can start building from there.”
With Sofapaka staring at the real threat of relegation, Manoah’s experience in rescue missions could prove crucial as the 2009 champions attempt to climb away from the bottom of the table before the season reaches its decisive stages.
