Police in Lilongwe have arrested president of People’s Land Organization, Vincent Wandale days after he promised to wage war against Malawi for stopping people of Mulanje and Thyolo from grabbing land belonging to estates.
According to reports, Wandale who declared himself leader of African Traditionalist Republic of Thyolo and Mulanje (MUST) is being held by police in Lilongwe.
Wandale however claimed that he is a prisoner of war since his arrest came after he declared war on Malawi.
“As head of state I’m under immunity by the Vienna Convention. As an act happening after issuing a declaration of war I am a prisoner of war,” Wandale told the local media.
On Thursday Malawi police officers teargased people of Mulanje and Thyolo who were set to share land which they said has been left idle for a long time at Conforzi Tea Estate. Police also arrested 22 members of Wandale’s organisation for encroaching on private land.
After the fracas, government advised people of the two districts to stop being misled by Wandale saying he is being guided by his own political agenda.
“We are warning them to distance themselves from who is advising them wrongly. That is a private land and the other thing is that if they got arrested on this issue, that will be their problem because we have warned them,” said Minister of Information Patricia Kaliati.
According to Kaliati, Conforzi Estate leaves some land idle because it has to conform to a number of international standards that includes ensuring that sufficient land is left fallow to conserve natural habitat, protect crops from disease, and support the management of water.
dzina lake laulura kale kuti wandale nde paja anthu andale mudziwa kale zomwe amapanga….. kumatipusisa ife anthu wamba kuti iwowo azidyerera ndiye musamale naye kapeyi akhoza kukhala kuti kumba akumachezaso ndi makepe anza achina kaliyatiwo….