Highlighting Sofapaka's outstanding achievements that shook Kenyan football
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Reading Time: 4min | Sat. 09.05.26. | 21:42
Sofapaka had an outstanding NSL performance in 2008, which eventually led to their promotion to the top tier in 2009
After a staggering 17 years in the FKF Premier League, Sofapaka’s journey in the top flight will reach its denouement at the end of the season after they were confirmed as the first casualties of relegation.
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The wide and sharp jaws of relegation finally swallowed Batoto ba Mungu after their 2-2 draw with Mathare United on Saturday, 2 May at Kasarani Annex.
Having joined the table of men in 2009, Sofapaka’s stay in top-flight football has been glittery, marked with highs and lows, but one thing is for sure: they made a positive impact, created history, filled hearts with joy and made a name for themselves.
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As the club prepares for life in the National Super League (NSL), where they last competed in 2008, Mozzart Sport takes a look at some of the remarkable achievements Batoto ba Mungu attained over the past 18 years.
Winning the league in their debut season
Sofapaka had an outstanding NSL performance in 2008, which eventually led to their promotion to the top tier in 2009.
Due to their financial might at the time, Sofapaka assembled a star-studded squad in their maiden top-flight season under the tutelage of head coach Robert Matano.
With an impressive blend of talent, experience and technical players led by captain James Situma, Sofapaka dismantled established teams and became the team to beat in 2009.
They proved to be too strong for the remaining 15 teams in the league and cruised to a league title after beating defunct Red Berets 3-0 on 7 November 2009.
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In the end, they created history by becoming the first team to win the league title in their maiden season, a feat yet to be achieved by any other team.
Winning the Mozzart Bet Cup twice
Apart from their success in the league, Batoto ba Mungu have also tasted success in the FKF Cup, currently known as the Mozzart Bet Cup for sponsorship reasons.
After winning the league title in 2009, the 2010 season saw the club compete in the CAF Champions League (CAFCL), whose demands, including additional matches and travel, took a toll on the team, leading them to finish fourth on the log.
However, having tasted the fruits of continental football, the 2009 league champions ensured that they made a return to the continental stage courtesy of winning the Cup in 2010, courtesy of a 2-0 victory over West Kenya Sugar in the final.
Sofapaka FC’s long stay in the Kenyan Premier League has ended after their relegation today.
— Don Teya (@TeyaKev) May 2, 2026
Since joining the top flight in 2009, they won the league title in their debut season, added two FKF Cups (2010, 2014) and two Super Cups (2010, 2011).
End of an era. pic.twitter.com/65tj3U06tJ
The club would also replicate their cup success in 2014 when they handed Bandari FC a 2-1 beating in the final, qualifying for continental football for the third time and soothing the agony of finishing second in the league.
First Kenyan team to eliminate Egyptian side
In their three seasons in continental football, Sofapaka also made history by becoming the first Kenyan side in the modern era to eliminate an Egyptian side.
After winning the FKF Cup in 2010, the club qualified for the 2011 CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC), where they met Egyptian side Ismaily.
The first leg of this preliminary tie was played in Egypt, where the home side humbled Sofapaka with a 2-0 scoreline.
With many pundits writing them off, Batoto ba Mungu produced a classic performance at Nyayo National Stadium on 2 April 2011 to hand Ismaily a heavy 4-0 defeat.
Goals by Antony Muki Kimani, Bob Mugalia, Titus Mulama and Patrick Kagogo were enough to guide the team to the historic win.
Competitive salaries/sign-on fees
Sofapaka also revolutionised the financial side of Kenyan football by offering competitive salaries and bonuses, including sign-on fees.
While sign-on fees in Kenyan football existed before, it was so insignificant that it did not make the news.
However, Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa changed that by offering hundreds of thousands to lure players to join the club, making it normal for clubs to pay millions in sign-on fees and six-figure salaries for players.
Former club captain James Situma, for instance, is on record saying that the club paid him Ksh1 million in sign-on fees when he made a return from Albanian side FK Tirana.
Fiston Abdul Razak's record sale
Apart from spending money, the 2009 league champions also made history by posting a record Ksh24 million revenue from the sale of Fiston Abdul Razak in 2015.
After his heroics in the league in 2015, Razak caught the attention of South African moneybags Mamelodi Sundowns, who paid the said amount to Sofapaka to acquire his services.
John Baraza's Golden Boot three-peat
A key figure of Sofapaka's success story has to be John Baraza, currently serving as the assistant coach at Kenya Police FC.
In their historic title-winning season in 2009, Baraza was the source of goals for Sofapaka and won the Golden Boot at the end of that season with 15 goals, a record that also saw him bag the FKFPL Player of the Year.
He would then replicate his success in the 2010 and 2012 seasons with 15 and 18 goals respectively, all while turning out for Sofapaka.