Mwananchi female workers visit missing journarlist to mark Women's Day

What you need to know:

Mr Gwanda went missing on November 21, last year from his working station at Kibiti. Efforts to locate his whereabouts or what happened to him have so far proved futile.

Kibiti. In marking the International Women’s Day, women working with Mwananchi Communications Ltd (MCL) paid a visit to the family of disappeared journalist Azory Gwanda in Kibiti District, Coast Region in a gesture of solidarity.

Mr Gwanda went missing on November 21, last year from his working station at Kibiti. Efforts to locate his whereabouts or what happened to him have so far proved futile.

During the period of his missing, his wife, Ms Anna Panon, gave birth to a second child to the family amidst escalated calls to efforts to be enhancement of the search to establish his whereabouts.

Speaking on behalf of MCL women, Mwanachi’s Health editor Lilian Timbuka said love, unity and solidarity pushed them to mark the International Women’s Day with Azory’s family.

Ms Timbuka said they believe that Azory was safe somewhere and that one day he will return and re-join his wife and the family.

"We have come to console Anna during this hard time, and we will continue praying for his safe return to his family, community and country,” she said.

She advised Anna to continue having faith and put Azory in her prayers, as well ask Tanzanians to keep the family in prayers during this difficult time.

Ms Panoni said she was overwhelmed by the show of love and solidary extended by MCL women, and was grateful to MCL for helping her take care of the family ever since her husband disappeared.

"I have nothing to give, just convey my regards to all MCL staff. We remain hopeful that this will come to an end and that the puzzle will be solved,” she said with tears in her eyes.

MCL publishes Tanzania’s leading papers of Mwananchi, The Citizen and Mwanaspoti.