The leader of Eswatini’s main opposition party has reportedly been poisoned in what is being described as an assassination attempt, and he is currently receiving treatment in hospital, according to his party. Mlungisi Makhanya, 46, has been living in exile in South Africa for the past two years, citing fears for his safety following a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy activists in Eswatini.
The People’s United Democratic Movement (Pudemo) announced that their president has been stabilised but remains in a critical condition.
Alpheous Nxumalo, a spokesman for the Eswatini government, denied any state involvement, asserting that the government does not kill or poison suspects.
Pudemo claims that this attempt on Makhanya’s life is linked to planned protests next month advocating for multi-party elections in Eswatini, which was formerly known as Swaziland. Although independent candidates can run for parliament, political parties are barred from participating.
King Mswati III, who has ruled since 1986, governs by decree and has faced criticism for his lavish lifestyle and suppression of dissent. The murder of human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko, who opposed the king, last year sparked widespread outrage.
In September 2022, Makhanya’s home in Eswatini was allegedly attacked and set ablaze by state agents. He now resides with his family in Pretoria, South Africa.
Makhanya was reportedly poisoned early Tuesday morning in his home by an unnamed young boy, whom Pudemo claimed was used as an agent of evil intent by the Swazi government. Following the incident, he was transported to a Pretoria hospital under police escort and was later placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a critical but stable condition.
Reports indicate that he informed authorities that he had been poisoned and robbed of his mobile phones. During a press briefing, Wandile Dludlu, Pudemo’s deputy president, confirmed that an “extremely dangerous and fatal” pesticide was used in the attack, labelling it an assassination attempt.
This assertion was dismissed by the Eswatini government, which stated, “The government, through law enforcement agencies that adhere to a strict code of ethics and professionalism, only apprehends suspects and brings them to justice alive, not dead,” according to Nxumalo.
Pudemo has appealed for international support to ensure Makhanya’s safety and that of his family while he recovers in hospital. The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), representing Swazis in South Africa, condemned the incident as a “bold attack” and a “clear assassination attempt” against Makhanya, urging the South African government to take action against Swazi state agents targeting exiled pro-democracy activists.
Opposition parties allege that security forces have killed numerous protesters, blaming the country’s political system for a lack of development. In 2021, student-led protests over alleged police brutality escalated into calls for political reform, resulting in at least 46 deaths during clashes between security forces and demonstrators, according to Human Rights Watch. The government has contested this figure, claiming that police acted in response to violent attacks.