The 10 highest paid Rwandan professional footballers

Amavubi and FC Pynik (Armenia) defender Salomon Nirisarike is the best paid Rwandan professional footballer, according to research by this reporter. The former Isonga football club star earns Rwf6.7m ($7000) per week which makes it $336,000 a year. Isonga football club which was mainly made up of youthful players folded in 2017 and transformed into a football academy. Nirisarike joined the Armenian side after a seven year career in Belgium. The 26 year-old started his senior career with Loyal Antwerp in Belgium in 2012, the same year he made his international debut for Rwanda. He has 16 caps so far. Amavubi assistant captain, Jacques Tuyisenge who plays for Angola top flight club Petro Atletico is second earning Rwf12 million ($13.000) per month. The 28 year old striker joined Petro Atletico on a $200 000 transfer fee and he got a sizeable cut from that sum. Tuyisenge get numerous benefits from the club that include a Rwf3 million accommodation allowance. Holding midfielder, Djihad Bizimana who features for Beveren in Belgium is third with a monthly salary of Rwf 11 million ($12.000) plus a bonus of Rwf 1 million for every match won. The 23 years old featured for several clubs in Rwanda like Etincelles, Rayon Sports and APR. Striker, Muhadjili Hakizimana who plays for Emirates FC in the United Arab Emirates gets Rwf 10 million ($10.000) every month, bonuses of Rwf 3 million for every win and Rwf 1 million for every draw plus an accommodation facilitation. The former APR forward was signed for Rwf274 million making him Rwanda’s most expensive player in history. Abdul Rwatubyaye who plays for Kansas City FC is the first Rwandan to play in the Major League Soccer in the US and also earns Rwf10 million but doesn’t get the kind of salary add ons that Hakizimana gets. Amavubi Striker Meddie Kagere who plays for Simba SC in Tanzania, earns Rwf7 million every month. Kagere previously played for several Rwandan clubs, including Kibuye FC (now defunct), Rayon Sports, SC Kiyovu, Mukura, Police FC and Atraco FC (now defunct). He also featured for Kenyan Gor Mahian, Uganda’s Mbale Heroes and Masaka LC, as well as Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Zarzis. Emery Bayisenge, who plays for Saif Sporting Club in Bangladesh earns Rwf6 million while Kevin Muhire gets Rwf5 million per month and features for Misr El Makhassa of Egypt. Yannick Mukunzi who plays for Swedish third division side Sandvikens gets Rwf3 million per month. Faustin Usengimana who plays for Buildcon in Zambia gets Rwf3 million every month and Rwf200, 000 bonus for every match played. The other players include Amavubi captain Haruna Niyonzima who rejoined Young Africans in January earns Rwf2.5 million per month while his teammates Patrick Sibomana earns Rwf 2 million.