adminLIBERATION war hero Cde Raphael Baleni who died at a city hospital was buried yesterday at the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes’ Acre.
Cde Baleni, who was a widower, died at the age of 75 and left behind three children and 17 grandchildren.
Speaking at the burial, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Bulawayo Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo described the late liberation hero as a dedicated cadre who valued peace.
“He was a hard worker and a dedicated cadre. I am one of the people who worked with him while I was young and by then I was into trade unionism. Through his dedication, after working in Zambia for some time, he was assigned to represent the party in Ethiopia where he was expected to fundraise for the party’s activities. It is through Baleni that people managed to get food and clothes.
“Cde Baleni was a man of truth and always chose the best and this is why he always chose peace and unity. People should therefore emulate his work and let his legacy live forever,” said Cde Moyo.
His son, Maqhawe, described his father as a humble man whom he urged people to emulate.
“As a family we are devastated. Our mother passed on in 2011 and the untimely death of my father today leaves a huge gap in the family which will not be easily filled. My father was humble and loved to promote peace. The family is going to emulate his work and take from where he left,” he said.
Representing the revolutionary party, Cde Godfrey Malaba said the late Cde Baleni was known for spearheading unity and organising party structures which is justified by his appointment to the commissariat department.
“Cde Baleni was an undisputed hero and people did not have to declare him a hero but just confirm. He is a man who treasured unity and no one can dispute that he is a true icon of the struggle. When Dumiso Dabengwa formed his Zapu, I sat down with him and he told me that people should carry on the legacy that was left by the late Dr Joshua Nkomo and also respect his wish of fostering unity in the country. Cde Baleni was a man of peace and people should emulate that,” said Cde Malaba.
Cde Baleni did his primary education at Mayobhodo Primary and Secondary schools at Empandeni. He started off as 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 was among the Zipra commanders who went to Chimoio to unite with Zanla forces under the banner of the Zimbabwe Peoples Army (Zipa).
After the union of the two armies, he was appointed the deputy commander at Mgagao.
Following the demise of Zipa, Cde Baleni went back to Zambia and was appointed commissar at Nampundwe Camp.
In 1978 Cde Baleni was posted to Ethiopia as Zapu chief representative, a position he held until 1980. From 1981 to 1982, Cde Baleni was the director of works’ education in 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 the Zimbabwe National Liberation 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. He 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 Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly until his death.
In attendance at the burial were Members of Parliament, Cdes Joseph Tshuma, Tshinga Dube, Ntandoyenkosi Mlilo, former Matabeleland South governor Angeline Masuku and Zanu-PF provincial members.
Online Reporter