Govt dismisses Thyolo, Mulanje ‘independence’
Government says it will not act on claims of declaration of Thyolo and Mulanje districts as an independent State known as African Traditionalists Republic of the United States of Thyolo and Mulanje.
Vincent Wandale, who claims to be the supreme leader, founder and trustee of People’s Land Organisation (PLO), has been advocating for the declaration of the two districts 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.
The minister, who is the official government spokesperson, observed that despite being a weighty and delicate matter, it would appear Wandale wants government to prosecute him to achieve fame, martyrdom and popularity.
She said: “While not restricting itself in future action, the present position of government is to leave Mr. Wandale alone. This is so because of the extent of the futility and the degree of irrationality of Mr. Wandale’s declaration.”
The minister said President Peter Mutharika engaged various stakeholders, including Cabinet ministers, in finding a durable solution to this matter.
Two weeks ago, senior chiefs from Mulanje and Thyolo urged government to investigate and arrest Wandale for attempting to bring disorder in the country.
The traditional leaders also disowned and warned him against any future attempts aimed at creating anarchy among people of the two tea growing districts.
But reacting to the issue, Wandale, who works for Lilongwe Agricultural Development Division (Ladd) as acting chief agricultural extension officer responsible for Lilongwe, Dedza and Ntcheu districts, challenged the chiefs’ assertions, saying they had no powers to block him and his organisation from fighting for the people of Thyolo and Mulanje.
