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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
Liberation war hero, Cde Raphael Baleni, who died in Bulawayo on Saturday, will be buried at Nkulumane provincial heroes’ acre tomorrow.
Zanu-PF Bulawayo province had requested that he be declared a national hero but the politburo met and confirmed that he is a liberation war hero.
The party’s provincial secretary for information Cde Christopher Sibanda said the politburo made the decision on Wednesday.
Cde Baleni died at Mpilo Central Hospital at the age of 75.
He did his primary education at Mayobhodo Primary School and secondary at Empandeni Mission.
In 1961, he was a youth member of the National Democratic Party (NDP). After the NDP was banned, he joined Zapu at its formation in 1962.
He joined the liberation struggle in 1973 in Zambia and was sent for military training in the former Soviet Union.
He also trained as a political commissar in that country. Cde Baleni was among the Zipra commanders who went to Chimoio to unite with Zanla forces under the banner of the Zimbabwe People’s Army (Zipa).
After the union of the two armies, he was appointed deputy commander at Mgagao.
Following the demise of Zipa, Cde Baleni went back to Zambia and was appointed commissar at Nambunduwe Camp, a position he held from 1977 to 1978.
In 1978, Cde Baleni was posted to Ethiopia as Zapu’s chief representative, a position he held until 1980.
From 1981 to 1982, Cde Baleni was the director of workers’ education at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU).
In 1982, he joined the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare as a Labour Relations Officer until 1987 when he joined the National Employment Council (NEC) for the motor industry as designate agent, a position he held until 2005.
In his political life, Cde Baleni was elected a district commissar for Ward 3 in Bulawayo Province and the following year he was elected the deputy provincial commissar for Bulawayo Province.
In 1993, he was elected Bulawayo provincial commissar and provincial chairman for war veterans.
Two years later, he was elected into the national executive of Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association as the secretary for information and publicity until 1997.
In 2003, he was co-opted into the province as the interim provincial commissar.
Cde Baleni was elected provincial commissar in 2005 before he became a Central Committee member in 2008, a position he held until 2013.
He was a member of the NCA until his death.
Cde Baleni was married to the late Matilda Mpikashi Ndondo and is survived by three children and 17 grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at Number 6 Dublin Place, Queens Park West.
Online Reporter