Sydney Mubaiwa
MIDLANDS BUREAU CHIEF

GWERU – The editor of Midlands regional newspaper, The Sun, Tendai Chifunyise (40) is no more.
Chifunyise died today at Harare Hospital where she was admitted after a short illness.
Sun Group Editor in Chief, Willie Muponda confirmed the tragic loss to The Mirror.
He said the news is devastating coming so unexpectedly.
Muponda described Chifunyise as the heart and soul of The Sun.
“We have lost the engine and the heart of the paper. She was a hardworking person who did everything with passion,” he said.
Meanwhile Community Newspaper Association of Zimbabwe (CNAZ) chairman Matthew Takaona has sent condolences on behalf of his organisation.
“It is with deep sorrow and shock that we have learnt of the sudden death of Chifunyise. On behalf of CNAZ and on my own behalf I wish to extend our deep condolences on the passing on of a dear friend, a fellow professional and an outstanding woman.
“Tendai’s loss is a big blow to all of us and it is a blow to gender parity. Tendai is one of the few women who made it in the male dominated field of journalism. Her contribution was therefore immense considering the suffocated voices of women in the media,” said Takaona
Born on November 23, 1983, in Makoni District, Chifunyise studied at Bamba Primary School in Rusape before proceeding to Inyati Mine Secondary School in the same district.
She did secretarial studies and editing at The People’s College and joined The Sun in 2012 as a sub-editor and was promoted through the ranks to become the newspaper editor.
At the time of her death she was also in charge of The Sun’s other ventures including The Bluegate Family Leisure Centre in Mkoba 6 which is a project to compliment the newspaper’s earnings.
Muponda said funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
Mourners are gathered at 17254 Stoneridge Park in Harare.
She left behind two children.