DAR ES SALAAM : ON a scorching day, family and friends gathered to pay their last respects and later participated in the burial of the veteran journalist, the late Pudenciana Temba (63) at Mbezi Tangi Bovu in Dar es Salaam on Monday.
Hundreds of mourners including government leaders and media professionals, braved the scorching sun as they turned out in their numbers, to escort the body of the journalist and former editor of the Daily News.
The late Pudenciana worked for the Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited (TSN), publishers of the Daily News, Sunday News, HabariLEO and Daily News Digital for about 35 years.
She breathed her last at Rabininsia Memorial Hospital in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday last week.
According to the late Pudenciana’s daughter, Ms Nice Kimaryo, her mother was battling Liver Cirrhosis for a long time.
Conveying the government’s condolences, Chief Government Spokesperson and Director of Information Services, MAELEZO, Mr Thobias Makoba said that during her lifetime the late Pudenciana served the nation with passion.
“She passionately served this nation for more than half of her life,” Mr Makoba eulogised the late Pudenciana.
He said Pudenciana was his mentor and a teacher also to many journalists around the country.
Mr Makoba noted that the success he has today, has largely been contributed by the late Pudenciana.
“I am proud to be one of the many scribes who have passed through the hands of Madam Pudenciana, I can’t tell my successful story without mentioning her name,” said Mr Makoba.
Former TSN Acting Managing Editor, Mr Mkumbwa Ally said the late Pudenciana was one of the few talented and professional writers.
“I worked with her, she was a prolific writer, who at that time wrote news and you won’t doubt her skills.
She was capable of writing excellent stories with good fact checking,” said Mr Mkumbwa.
Former TSN Managing Editor Mr Gabriel Nderumaki said the late Pudenciana was colleague, friend and fellow writer. “I knew Pudenciana for a while; we were all writers at TSN.
We grew through the ranks together before I was promoted to the post of Managing Editor.
The late Pudenciana had a unique writing skills as she was a professional journalist who excellently mastered English language.
She had a talent for writing, a loving person, a truth-teller without hypocrisy,” said Nderumaki.
TSN Acting Managing Director, Asha Dachi expressed her condolences, saying the deceased was a teacher of many and has left a huge mark at the company and the nation at large.
“Pudenciana had a great contribution to the success of the company, and we still enjoy her fruits through those she groomed… she was a teacher of many and shaped many journalists, which to this day the ongoing professionalism in TSN has been contributed by her efforts,” she said.
The Chairperson of the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA), Ms Joyce Shebe said the late Pudenciana was one of founders of the association and raised her voice on the issues of children and women to ensure that their rights are met.
She said the late Pudenciana used her pen to help the Tanzanian society get rid of gender violence and patriarchy.
She said the late Pudenciana was one of the journalists who lifted her fellows to become better and well off in the journey of becoming best journalists.
Celebrating the life of their former schoolmate, one of the former Kibosho Girls members, Dr Avemaria Semakafu said they were brought up with love, which has remained their main character and signature.
She said the deceased was instrumental to the community she lived in since her youthful age at Kibosho Girls.
“Pudenciana’s memories will always be cherished and her legacy will live on. She was a good person who loved and raised many,” said Dr Semakafu.
The husband to late Pudenciana, Professor Venance Kimaryo thanked all those who came out to mourn with the family, saying the huge turnout at the burial was a clear testimony that the late Pudenciana touched the lives of many.
He said Pudenciana has left a mark and a lesson to be learnt by the society especially the way she was living with people.
The late Pudenciana is survived by husband and two daughters – Nice and Angel.