We must release Rita Tinina, for if we don’t, she will not find peace-Zubeidah Kananu

On Wednesday, Kenya Editors Guild president Zubeidah Kananu delivered a poignant tribute to the late journalist, Rita Tinina.

An emotional Zubeida, unable to contain her tears, spoke with a voice heavy with emotion and sorrow, breaking the solemn silence of the funeral, moving many to tears.

Each word seemed to quiver under the weight of grief.

“It hurts a lot. Rita was one of ours, and we feel deeply saddened by her passing. It hurts a lot,” Zubeidah said.

Zubeidah, clad in a white dress and a red Maasai shuka, revealed that she acquired the shuka during her last assignment with Tinina.

Praising her colleague-turned-great friend, Zubeidah depicted Tinina as someone who never engaged in disputes, was never boastful, and never looked down on anyone.

The KEG president acknowledged that as humans, we cannot question God’s decisions.

“I know there are times when we feel compelled to ask God why, but we also understand that God’s work is flawless,” Zubeidah said.

However, Zubeida urged mourners to allow Tinina to rest.

“We shall pray for God to grant her soul eternal peace. We must release her, for if we don’t, she will not find peace. God promises to prepare a place for us,” she added.

Drawing a parallel to her mother’s passing, Zubeida remarked that Tinina’s death was sudden, likening it to the cyclical nature of the sun’s rise and set.

“I’ve come to realize that death is akin to the sunrise and sunset. We just don’t know when our time will come,” she added.

Finally, Zubeida urged people to learn from Tinina’s life.

“From Rita’s death, we learn the importance of loving others. By observing those gathered here, you can gauge the kind of person Rita was,” she concluded.