Okola patiently waiting for his turn at Sofapaka

Sofapaka center back Stephen Okola is patiently waiting for his turn to play at the competitive level this season after warming the substitutes bench in the past four rounds.

Okola was a regular starter last season, forming a strong partnership with David Nshimirimana at the heart of the defense.

However, he has been forced to watch from the bench this season as coach Francis Haringingo has been preferring the pair of Nshimirimana and Mousa Omar at central defense.

Omar, another Burundian international rejoined Sofapaka in the off-season transfer window from Police of Rwanda on a season long deal.

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The defender had initially played for the club between January 2018 to August the following year before cutting ties in an acrimonious way as he reported the club to Fifa for breach of contract.

Okola remained confident that his time will come and walk back to the starting team and permanently cement a place therein.

Apart from the two Burundian internationals, Okola has been facing competition for game time from Emmanuel Otieno who resurfaced at the club at the start of the season.

"I am working hard so as to return to the first team. I welcome the competition from the rest as it makes us better as individuals and also benefits the team," said Okola.

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Sofapaka are winless in the season as the former champions have lost three of the opening four rounds and reaped a draw to sit at the bottom of the log.

Okola was promoted to the Sofapaka senior team in 2018 after impressing in the club's youth setup.

He earned his maiden Harambee Stars call up the following year when the then head coach Francis Kimanzi included him in the team gearing to face Zambia in a friendly match.