Dar es Salaam residents, including government officials granted a befitting farewell to former Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited (TSN) Managing Editor, Ambassador Ferdinand Ruhinda, who died on Saturday and was laid to rest yesterday in the city. Ambassador Ruhinda died in the city after a long battle with diabetes.
Among the notable attendees at the burial service of the fallen diplomat Ruhinda, who also served as the former Tanzania ambassador to Sweden, Canada and China, was the Minister for Information,Communication and Information Technology, Mr Nape Nnauye.
Giving the farewell message at the funeral service held at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) at Msasani, Mr Nape said the government appreciates Ambassador Ruhinda's contribution to the country, as he left a legacy everywhere he went.
"His contribution was immense in building our country, along with many good deeds, both that can be recounted and those that were untold. He worked hard and left seeds and his works are explicitly clear for anyone to see and speak of," said Nape.
Furthermore, Mr Nape called on young Tanzanians, particularly those in the media industry to learn from Ambassador Ruhinda, as he demonstrated patriotism and dignity with the intention of developing the country.
Conveying condolences, TSN's Acting Managing Director, Ms Asha Dachi said that Ambassador Ruhinda will be remembered for his significant contribution in enhancing professionalism within the company and the media industry as a whole.
"He placed a lot of emphasis on competence and professionalism, he was like a guiding light to ensure that the media industry is respected and journalists are respected as well.
We, at TSN will continue to live his legacy by adhering to professionalism as he taught us," said Ms Dachi. Former Prime Minister, Judge Joseph Warioba, who attended the same school with Ambassador Ruhinda, described him as honest person who was fond of reading books and magazines, giving him knowledge that helped him accomplish many great things.
He said the late Ruhinda was someone who loved politics, although he did not decide to be a politician, and he participated in teaching him (Judge Warioba) politics.
For his part, Msasani ELCT Church Pastor, Manford Kijalo, urged mourners to reflect on their lives and ensure that they utilise their time not only for themselves but also for others, as Ambassador Ruhinda did.
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He said that Ambassador Ruhinda utilised his God-given talents and did his work well, to the extent that he was trusted by top government officials in various positions. He urged others to reflect on how they have lived since birth and ensure that they leave a legacy when they depart from the world.
Recounting the history of the fallen Ambassador Ruhinda, his daughter Pamela Ruhinda said that his father was born in 1938 in Karagwe, Kagera region and received his journalism education at the University of Nairobi.
She said his father served as the Editor in Chief of Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam (RTD), now TBC Taifa and later served as the Tanzanian Ambassador to Sweden, then was appointed as the Tanzanian High Commissioner to Canada (1983-1988) and again as ambassador to China (1989-1992) before retiring from public service.
The deceased's daughter said that her father, who left three children, started suffering from diabetes 15 years ago and was receiving treatment in hospitals within and outside the country until his last breath on June 14 this year.
