Leader of People’s Land Organisation (PLO)—a grouping agitating for the redistribution of land in Thyolo and Mulanje— Vincent Wandale, has reiterated his claim of the sovereignty of Mulanje and Thyolo districts.
Wandale made the statement at the Magistrate’s Court in Blantyre yesterday during the cross-examination in the case in which he is answering charges-conspiracy to commit misdemeanour, unauthorised use of land and criminal trespassing.
Wandale pointed out that since the Government of Malawi has failed to resolve land problems in the two districts despite its promises, PLO and the communities in Thyolo and Mulanje have opted for self determination which gives “legal right of people to decide their own destiny in the international order”.
“Self-determination empowers people to decide their own independence if they feel their needs are being sidelined, therefore, it is the right we are using to establish our own government just like Kosovo. We have exhausted all the avenues to have our concerns heard but to no avail. On December 21 last year, we met President Peter Mutharika who promised to support us, saying he knows land problems in Thyolo and Mulanje are caused by colonial estates but he has not helped us.
“Kosovo started from scratch, it had no police, no army, no administration and we have started on the same note. In three years to come, we shall have elections. My being in the dock this morning means Government of Malawi has arrested head of state which is against the international law as I am supposed to be immune. This court has no legal mandate to arrest me,” Wandale said.
He added that whether the court does not recognise their independence is not a matter of concern to him and PLO because they do not need anyone to approve their sovereignty.
“To show that I am not self-claimant, over 3,000 people heeded decree of my government to share land in Thyolo despite government’s claim that people should not take me seriously,” Wandale said.
The case will be heard again on Wednesday at Conforzi Tea Plantations where Wandale expects to give his testimony.
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