For the third time running, league sponsors Azam and the local football governing body (Ferwafa) have organised the annual Azam Rwanda Premier League Player of the Year awards. The very best in Rwandan football for the 2017/2018 season will be celebrated on October 18 at Marriot Hotel in Kigali. The main award on the night will be for the Player of the Year, and many are already waiting to see who will be the successor of Burundian playmaker and former Rayon Sports skipper Pierrot Kwizera, who scooped the award in the last two seasons. He has since left the club and headed to Qatar. The prestigious annual awards ceremony was established in 2016 as a way of celebrating the top-performing footballers of the season as well as recognising the most exceptional youngsters. Five categories will be voted for by coaches, captains of all the 16 topflight league teams and sports journalists. The categories are: the Best Player, Best Goalkeeper, Most Promising Player, Best Coach, and Revelation Coach. The top-scorer of the 2017-18 will also be awarded on the night. AS Kigali’s Burundian import Jean Claude Ndarusanze ended the season leading the scorers’ chart with 15 goals, two ahead of Amavubi and APR forward Muhadjiri Hakizimana. Musanze FC’s Wai Yeka and SC Kiyovu’s Francis Moustapha were joint third with 11 goals each. Top scorer Ndarusanze will pocket Rwf500, 000 while the best player of the year will walk away with Rwf1m in cash prize. The most promising player will get Rfw500, 000, best goalie Rwf400, 000, whilst the best coach and the revelation coach will earn Rwf500,000 apiece. Heavyweights APR won the 2017/18 Azam Rwanda Premier League title with 66 points, followed by AS Kigali with five points adrift. Besides the five aforementioned categories, there will be also named the team of the season. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
