Arrested Wandale  ‘out of his mind’: Malawi tea estate land grab leader claims to be  ‘head of state’

Controversial Vincent Wandale, who claims to be the supreme leader, founder and trustee of People’s Land Organisation (PLO),  is under arrest for allegedly inciting people of Mulanje and Thyolo to start grabbing land belonging to  tea estates investors.

Wandale: Under arrest
Wandale: Under arrest

The land they wanted to share belongs to Naming’oma, Makwasa, Henderson Farm and also Chitakale and Limbuli estates in Mulanje.

Police arrested 16 members of PLO on Thursday afater chaor in Thyolo but could not pick Wandale who was not amongst the villagers.

However, Police picked Wandale on Saturday and rocked him up in Lilongwe.

Wandale who declared  Thyolo and Mulanje districts as an independent State known as African Traditionalists Republic of the United States of Thyolo and Mulanje, confirmed he is under arrest.

“Yes indeed I am under arrest. I ‘m in police custody in Lilongwe,” he said.

Wandale, who works for Lilongwe Agricultural Development Division (Ladd) as acting chief agricultural extension officer responsible for Lilongwe, Dedza and Ntcheu districts, claimed he is a Head of State and has immunity from arrests.

“As a head of sate I’m under immunity [from arrests] by the Vienna Convention. As an act happening  after issuing a declaration of war [land grab], I am a prisoner pf war,” he stated.

But government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati, who is an MP in Mulanje trashed Wandale, saying he is  clearly “out of his mind.”

She said Wandale has no mandate to distribute the land.

“That group has no mandate to distribute land. They are opening jail gates for themselves,” said Kaliati.

Kaliati observed that it would appear Wandale wants government to prosecute him to achieve fame, martyrdom and popularity.

Wandale has been advocating for the declaration of Thyolo and Mulanje to become a sovereign State allegedly because government has failed to repossess idle land owned by settlers on tea estates and allot the same to indigenous Malawians.

He said  “it is not fair” for Malawi government to arrest him and 16 members of PLO  because “they are claiming their land currently possessed by foreigners” and that he will lodge a complaint at the International Court of Justice against foreign aggression.

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Davis
Davis
7 years ago

Man Vin kumavuta nkuyamba, apa you have set a precedent basi. whoever likes it or not this land issue will not die till mnzungu anke kwao. He owns no land in malawi and the leaders set a blind eye.

akuka
akuka
7 years ago

munthu gwamisala uyu palibe kuchosela… anamusankha ndani kukhala president wa Mulanje & thyolo?

Manganya
Manganya
7 years ago

Mufune musafune watchuka kale Wandale basi ngakhale lunja akukamba za Wandale…kkkkkkk. Leronso magetsi athima, madzi asiyanso kutuluka….three wonders of Malawi

Harawara
Harawara
7 years ago

A point of correction: Wandale is not land grabbing; he is land repossessing

Harawara
Harawara
7 years ago

I encourage Wandale to keep up the fight. He is a prisoner now but tomorrow he will be a liberator for the landless people of Mulanje and Thyolo. Heroes come from a crises. Wandale recall that most of the world heroes walked the path you are walking now. Some like Nelson, Ghandi and George Washington were called terrorists but later became world icons

The Patriot
The Patriot
7 years ago

Mbalame ikakhala pa Uta, silasika! Imagine these mad people calling themeselves PLO, and their mad leader calling himself the head of State but all he gets from Akweni is “this guy is out of his mind!” and just a slap on the wrist.
Now imagine if the land grabbing chaos happened in Nkhatabay or anywhere beyond the Lhomwe belt, we would have been counting bodies already ! Akweni would have been firing in all cylinders castigating the offending group, their tribe and ofcourse the opposition!

Three Angels message
Three Angels message
7 years ago

Wandale, can you add Phalombe and Chirazulu to the list of states or to be part of this sovereign state. MWINA TIONE KUSINTHA

Happyone
Happyone
7 years ago

Munthuyi anamwera mabukhu mpakana ku University.

ilea
ilea
7 years ago

So the president is working in a foreign land KKKK. Fodya apose apa amangwetu!

Parallel Market
Parallel Market
7 years ago

Malawi Government, Why do u treat one Wandale with such kid gloves?? This man has for many instances committed treason but alas, our police just ignores him. Do you know that what you are doing by not arresting Wandale and charging him with treason is setting a bad precedence whose effects would set our country on fire? Is it because Wandale comes from Thyolo Mulanje area? Or is he being sent by Government to test the waters? What is it then? If Malawi Government is serious with defending our constitution then Wandale must not only be arrested but also charged… Read more »

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