Transformation Alliance leader Kunkuyu visits Wandale in custody
Leader of the vocal political movement Transformation Alliance (T.A) Moses Kunkuyu on Friday evening visited detained Peoples Land Organization (PLO) leader Vincent Wandale at Lilongwe Police in Area 3 in the capital city.
Kunkuyu was spotted arriving at the police compound at around 16:40 followed by four other vehicles a black mercedez benz, Silver Nissan Navara, Grey Range Rover and a silver Toyota belta.
Clad in a blue suit Kunkuyu alighted from one of the vehicles with three men, one of them in a black suit believed to be a Lilongwe based lawyer and made their way to the detentions unit of Lilongwe police where they met Wandale for close to half an hour.
Nyasa Times reporter at the Police Station failed to get Kunkuyu’s comment right on the scene as the vehicles cruised off immediately after coming out of the police building.
When contacted in a telephone interview later Kunkuyu confirmed visiting the PLO Leader and said he did what is humanely appropriate when others are in the situation that Wandale is currently in.
He, however, refused to comment on indications that they are soliciting legal support for Wandale.
“We are just doing what is humanely appropriate by visiting Vincent and giving him the moral support that he needs most in this moment. I cannot comment on his charges but he is someone I know as a brave youthful person who takes time to think of the plight of others and act on their behalf where he can, we will give him all the support that we can in the course of ensuring that justice is upheld,” said Kunkuyu.
Asked if he feels the charges against Wandale are trumped up and politically motivated, Kunkuyu said “the courts are well placed to judge but given the sour relationship between Wandale and the government, it would be difficult to completely distance a political hand and sinister motive from the whole saga.
“Vincent is a free youthful Malawian who can advance or subscribe to an opinion that he feels concerns him and those he represents as PLO leader. If, and I repeat if there is a sinister motive in the arrest of Wandale, then the perpetrators have it wrong because arresting people has never changed their stance and has never evaporated their zeal to see their wishes accomplished. Such tactics are not transformational at all. Jailing people is far from a solution we need for the social ills this country is facing”
The Blantyre Senior Resident Magistrate in November last year convicted leader of the Peoples Land organisation (PLO), Vincent Wandale, on three counts that he was answering namely conspiracy to commit a felony, criminal trespass and aiding and abating people to use land on an estate in Thyolo.
The court also acquitted Wandale’s accomplice, Tendai Msikita, on the three charges.
In her ruling, the magistrate observed that the so-called independence of Thyolo and Mulanje that Wandale was advocating was endorsed by only about 3,000 people when each of the two districts has more than 500,000 people.
Since his first arrest, Malawi government has always harboured the view that Wandale is an agent of politicians and this might amplify those suspicions he was recently spotted at one of the regional public interfaces organized by TA in Blantyre where he made a scotching presentation on the type of leadership Malawi currently has.
Wandale was re-arrested last Friday in Lilongwe and he was transferred to Blantyre Saturday evening where he
will be charged as that is closer to the place where the offence for his arrest was committed.
wandale is a confused brat…sometimes we cant understand his motives
Alot have been said about Vincent Wandale. As usual Malawians with our shall mindedness we have already condemed him. We don’t want to listen to the arguments of this man. I do not come from Thyolo or Mulanje but I think there is an issue out there which needs immediate attention. The government through TA Ngongoliwa might want to suppress Wandale but they are not suppressing the issue of land. That is a time bomb, its ticking and only time will tell when it will explode.
Mumamutuma eti? A Moses!
Koma manifesto ya DPP amkati sazasmanga munthu,uyu NDE mwamutani?kenako timva kuti wamwalira