Yatuta Chisiza - Paul Theroux & The Bread Van Affair

Paul Theroux & The Bread Van Affair

In 1964 Paul Theroux, an outspoken, American, Peace Corps Volunteer in Nyasaland, was declared persona non grata by Dr. Hastings Banda for supporting Yatuta, who was accused of attempting to overthrow the government. Theroux delivered a letter from an exiled opposition leader, David Rubadiri, to Chisiza in Tanzania. He also carried a coded messages from Chisiza to a “Greek fellow” in Blantyre. According to an account by Theroux in Esquire Magazine, when Theroux delivered the message on October 16 to the Greek baker, who was en route to delivering his bread to Ntcheu, the baker “trembled and went pale".” : guessed the Greek baker had been caught, interrogated by the Malawi Criminal Investigation Department about bread van”, and exposed Yatutas whearabouts and Theroux's involvement. Banda told the American ambassador that he had proof Theroux was plotting to kill him, and demanded the volunteer be sent home. He found out later that in his final day, instead of finding bread waiting in a van, Chisiza found Malawi soldiers, who ambushed and killed the revolutionary gunman from Tanzania where he was plotting against Banda. Paul Theroux was thrown out of the Peace Corp for his role in Malawi and is now a renowned novelist.