By MOSES HAVYARIMANA

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Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has made a posthumous award to Papy Faty, a player for the national football team who collapsed and died earlier this year during a game.

Faty was part of the Burundi squad ''The Swallows'' that qualified in March for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“He helped the Burundian national team to qualify for the first ever African cup of nations and he was really ready to play for his country in the continental competition,” said President Pierre Nkurunziza.

He died a month later, while playing for his club in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland.

The award was presented to Faty's mother, along with two million Burundian francs ($1089), during Burundi's 57th Independence Day celebrations.

Awards were also presented to outstanding figures in Burundi’s education, diplomacy, army and police services.

Born in 1990, Faty started his career as a professional footballer in 2007 playing for a Burundian based club AS Inter Star, but later in 2008 joined Trabzonspor and was later loaned to MVV, both in South Africa.

Trabzonspor released the Burundian ace by mutual consent making him a free agent.

In 2011, the play maker joined Rwandan Club APR for a a year spell before moving to South African football club Bidvest Wits.

The 28-year-old is believed to have had a history of heart-related complications which led to Wits releasing him from his contract early.

Various sources say that Faty had been ignoring medical advice to stop playing football for the last few years.

Later, he played for Real Kings in the South African National First Division (NFD), but he was released after just two matches.