AZAM Rwanda Premier League side Gicumbi FC have appointed Abdu ‘Beken’ Bizimana as the club’s new head coach.

But he signed a three-month contract which runs until the end of the season. 

The development was confirmed to Times Sport yesterday by Grégoire Murwanashyaka, the Gicumbi FC chairman.

The former Etincelles technician joins Gicumbi following the resignation of former coach Godfroid Okoko who joined topflight opponents Espoir FC a fortnight ago.

Bizimana, who has previously coached teams like Virunga FC (DR Congo), Marines FC, Etincelles FC and Amagaju FC, joins a Gicumbi side that is bottom of the league table. 

"We are delighted to announce that Bizimana is as our new head coach, replacing Okoko whom we parted company with two weeks ago. We need to bounce back and we strongly believe he’s the man to guide us in this effort. He will be with us until the end of the season,” Murwanashyaka told Times Sport yesterday.

"His main task is to make sure we do not get relegated; after that we will discuss whether to extend his contract.”

Meanwhile, former Gicumbi coach Okoko said he resigned because he did not get support from the club management to recruit new players and that there were problems with clearing salary arrears for both players and coaching staff, which had affected the morale of the team.

Defending champions Rayon Sports top the league table with 30 points, ahead of second-placed AS Kigali (29). Kiyovu and APR FC have 28 points each but the former are in third place by virtue of a superior goal difference.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw