My Thought

Wandale is not mad

The self-proclaimed supreme leader of the so-called United States of Thyolo and Mulanje and Peoples’ Land Organisation (PLO), Vincent Wandale, has all the attributes of a man with mental issues.

First, he insists his proclamation of Thyolo and Mulanje as ‘independent states’ and him as supreme leader is bizarre. For starters, Malawi has one Head of State and government at the moment.

Secondly, his approach to addressing his grievances—land issues—is faulty. It is no wonder that there are many who have called for the assessment of Wandale’s mental capacity.

Those who have interacted with him during the court case describe him as an unkempt man who seems unconcerned about the charges levelled against him and 22 others.

Wandale and 22 members of PLO were arrested on September 2 and September 1 2016 after hundreds of PLO memebers, mostly from Thyolo, invaded privately-owned Conforzi Tea Estate in Thyolo and started sharing land among them. He has since been charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour, unauthorised use of land, criminal trespass and inciting violence.

Former Minister of Information Patrick Kaliati, described Wandale as a mad man. Somehow, he does fit the description of a man who has gone completely haywire.

However, Wandale shouldn’t be completely dismissed, neither should what he is fighting for be dismissed by merely looking at the way he dresses and talks. His grievances and those of his followers are valid and not a mere attention-seeking stunt. He is highlighting one of the critical issues in Malawi, land problem. It is not just in Thyolo or Mulanje where people lack land or where their land has been taken by foreigners or the powerful among them, the problem is across the country.

Perhaps the only difference is that Wandale has decided to talk about it while the rest of us, as usual, are only moaning about it in silence. Typical of most Malawians—can’t stand up and fight for what they want. His approach to addressing the grievances can be faulted but certainly not the cause. It’s valid.

The issue of land in has always been such a sensitive topic in Malawi. Malawi is never short of stories of people who have hacked each other as they fight for land. Only a few of such stories are reported while the rest are unreported. If it’s not commercial land, it is customary land that they are fighting for. People want land to build and cultivate.

It is sad that government instead of finding a lasting solution to this has totally ignored the PLO’s calls and simply decided to label Wandale as a mad man. I, for one, believe this is a big issue that government needs to address before it gets out of hand. n

Sellina Kainja

Online Editor | Social Media Expert | Earth Journalism Network Fellow | Media Trainer | Columnist

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