Haruna named Tanzania’s best footballer of the year

AMAVUBI STARS skipper Haruna Niyonzima has been crowned the best footballer of the year in the 2012/13 Tanzania Vodacom Premier League. The Yanga midfielder won the 2013 Mwanaspoti Footballer of the year award organized by the East Africa’s lead sports newspaper, Sportsman or Mwanaspoti, in partnership with Vodacom and Clouds Media Group. Niyonzima was crowned in a special ceremony held on Friday night at Mount City Hall in Dar es Salaam and attended by guest of honor Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Science, Communication and Technology, January Makamba who was the chief guest. The former Etincelles, Rayon Sports and APR playmaker defeated four other players, who made the final list. They included; Shomari Kapombe (Simba), Amri Kiemba (Simba), Kelvin Yondani (Yanga) and Themi Felix of Kagera Sugar. Despite winning cash prize worth TSh5 million (Rwf2million), the Rwandan international was also given a special award-Best Foreign Player where he edged Ivorian Kipre Tchetche and Uganda Cranes forward Hamis Kiiza, who play for Azam and Yanga respectively. The top scorer award went to Kipre Tchetche, who scored 17 goals last season. Another Rwandan footballer Mbuyu Twite was named in the Team of the season in which Haruna features. Full team: Juma Kaseja (Simba), Mbuyu Twite (Yanga), Shomari Kapombe (Simba), Kelvin Yondani (Yanga), David Mwantika (Azam) , Amri Kiemba (Simba), Thomas Ulimwengu (TP Mazembe), Haruna Niyonzima (Yanga), Themi Felix (Kagera Sugar) , Mbwana Samata (TP Mazembe ) and Kipre Tchetche (Azam).