“It’s Amazing To Be Back To A Place I Call Home” – Cesar Manzoki Returns To Vipers SC
Vipers SC have announced the return of Congolese striker Cesar Lobi Manzoki on a two-year deal ahead of the 2026/27 season. For the 29-year-old, this is more than a transfer — it’s an emotional homecoming.
“It’s amazing to be back to a place I call home,” Manzoki said. “Rejoining Vipers SC is something someone is lucky enough to experience once in a lifetime, but for me it is happening twice.”
Manzoki first lit up the Uganda Premier League during his initial spell at Kitende with explosive pace, intelligent movement and ruthless finishing. In 46 UPL matches he scored 26 goals and provided 13 assists, becoming the heartbeat of the Venoms. He was the entertainer, the difference-maker, and the player opponents feared most.
The 2021/22 campaign was when Manzoki became a legend. He scored 18 league goals to fire Vipers to the UPL title and swept the individual awards: Golden Boot, Player of the Season, Players’ Player, Forward of the Season, Most Assists, and a place in the UPL Best XI.
Before that, he announced himself by finishing as the 2020/21 Uganda Cup Top Scorer with 7 goals.
Since leaving Vipers, Manzoki gathered experience across Africa and Asia with AS Dauphins Noirs, AS Maniema Union, AS Vita Club, Dalian Pro in China, Hatta Club in UAE, Mohammedan Sporting Club in Bangladesh, and Eastern District FC in Hong Kong.
Head Coach Denis Lavagne believes Manzoki’s return is about more than goals.
“Some players need time to understand what a club represents. Cesar already knows,”_ he said. “He understands our culture, our ambition and the expectations. We believe he still has the hunger to score goals and help this team compete for trophies again.”
For Manzoki, he returns to family. For Ugandan football, the league welcomes back one of its most devastating forwards.
“Uganda, Kitende and Vipers will always have a special place in my heart,”_ Manzoki said. “I can’t wait to give everything for this badge once again.”