The Editor in Chief Nation Media Group Joe Ageyo has eulogised Journalist Rita Tinina as not just a dependable team member but the ultimate team player.
Ageyo was speaking on Monday at the Holy Family Basilica during Rita's requiem mass.
"When I was coming here over an hour ago, I received a message from an old friend who wished me God's grace and comfort as I came for this event. She said it must be difficult as I give send off to a dependable team member. Dependable team member is one of the attributes but it is an understatement of who Rita was," he said.
"In all the newsrooms that I have worked with her, she was just not a dependable team member but the ultimate team player, professional as many have said."
Ageyo said that as the Nation Media Group which was Rita's current home, they were grateful to have experienced such a wonderful gem.
Over the last week or so, he said the country has witnessed an outpouring of tributes as they continue to celebrate the legacy of Rita.
"Today we gather yet again to reflect on the profound impact that Rita had on earth through her exceptional storytelling that has been talked about and her remarkable character," Ageyo said.
He noted that indeed Rita was more than just a journalist.
Ageyo described her as a beacon of truth and compassion, her words like gentle waves that touched countless lives.
In her pursuit of truth and justice, Ageyo said Rita's narrative transcended the boundaries of mere news.
He said they resonated with the hearts and souls of her audience.
"Beyond her professional achievements, Rita's warmth, kindness and unwavering integrity left an enduring legacy that will continue to illuminate our paths long after her earthly journey has ended," he said.
Ageyo said she was the kind who found a different way to tell every story.
He further said that he worked on a poem in the legacy of Rita Tinina.
"I choose to express the feelings of so many in this room and to immortalise her legacy in a brief poem that I worked on as I prepared for this day and it is just titled 'Rest in peace Gentle Giant'," he said.
Rita died in her sleep last week out of what authorities described as severe pneumonia.
She will be buried at her family home at Noosupeni Farm Olokirikirai, Narok County on Wednesday, March 27.