Veteran journalist and former editor of the Daily News, Ms Pudenciana Temba (63) has passed away.
Ms Pudenciana, who had worked for the Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited (TSN), publishers of the Daily News, Sunday News, HabariLeo and Daily News Digital for about 35 years, breathed her last at Rabininsia Memorial Hospital in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, according to her daughter Angel Kimario.
Ms Angel said her mother has been battling Liver Cirrhosis for a long time but lost the battle on Tuesday.
Ms Kimario noted that funeral arrangements are ongoing at the deceased residence in Tanki Bovu in Mbezi Beach, near ELCT Church in Dar es Salaam.
Ms Pudenciana will be remembered for her skillful journalistic skills.
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As the public expects and deserves prompt, accurate and objective information, what rightly describes a dexterous journalist was Ms Pudenciana's ability to dedicate her life to reporting the news no matter what risks she may attract.
By all manners of descriptions, the above avowal precisely paints a picture of who Pudenciana was.
She was fondly referred to by her colleagues as a hardworking and professional journalist.
TSN Acting Managing Director, Asha Dachi said thgreat shock for the company, because she made huge contribution to the institution's growth.
"Pudenciana had a great contribution, and we still enjoy her fruits through those she groomed... she was a teacher of many and has shaped many journalists, which to this day the ongoing professionalism in TSN has been contributed by her efforts," she said.
Ms Dachi said the late Pudenciana was a brilliant and professional writer and loved her work, saying she met her for the first time at the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT), organised by the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) where she was elected as the chairperson of the judges' panel.
The immediate Former TSN Managing Director, Ms Tuma Abdallah, eulogised the fallen media pundit as a friend, sister and journalism coach to many people whom she worked with.
She said the late Pudenciana distinguished herself as a worthy female journalist, who often crafted transformative articles on women and their rights.
"Her stories always hit the headlines, as she was a creative journalist who would come up with interesting ideas which would touch society in general.
She has left a mark to the media fraternity," Ms Tuma said. She added; "She was a News Editor, Sub Editor at different occasions but kept on writing exclusive stories despite the risk of dealing with such articles. Above all, the late Pudenciana was a friend, smart, jovial and supportive to workmates.
She was always full of jokes, a person who loved to see other people excelling in the journalism career," she described the late Pudenciana.
Ms Ichikaeli Maro, former editor at the Daily News, described the late Pudenciana as industrious and incisive journalist who adeptly wrote exclusive and insightful stories.
"Pudenciana was a friend, who became a family to me. Knowing her helped me become a good writer with accurate fact checking of my stories," she recalled.
Another former editor at the Daily News, Ms Marselina Masha paid glowing tributes to the late Pudenciana, saying she devoted her time and efforts to train young reporters to know what to do to become prolific.
"She was the best coach during our time. Besides, she was a believer of time management, she was the first to arrive at the office ... .and she was the last one to leave the office, those who worked during her time developed time management discipline," said Ms Masha.
Ms Masha, who happened to be close to the late Pudenciana's family, added: "Pudenciana was a good family woman and a responsible mother to her two daughters -- Angel and Nice.
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" During her lifetime, the late Pudenciana was a devoted journalist who performed well her duties and later became an editor of different sections in the editorial section.
Former editor with the Daily News, Mr Sukhdev Chhatbar noted; "Madam Pudenciana was among those journalists who received me at the Daily News when I completed my secondary education and always encouraged me in my quest to become a top-notch journalist.
She was among those who encouraged me to go for higher studies and was extremely delighted when I finished my MA in Journalism.
She was also among the first ones to congratulate me when I finished my Diploma in Journalism as I was the first from TSN to be sent to the Tanzania School of Journalism through the company's sponsorship."
Born on June 20, 1961, Pudenciana went to Kibosho Girls Secondary School in Moshi, Kilimanjaro and attended courses in journalism in Kitwe, Zambia. Later, she obtained her Masters in University of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
She joined the Tanzania Standard Newspapers in 1986 and retired in 2021. She is survived by her husband and two daughters.
