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Mlungisi Makhanya, the main opposition leader in Eswatini, has reportedly been poisoned in what his party, the People’s United Democratic Movement (Pudemo), describes as an assassination attempt. Makhanya, 46, has been living in exile in South Africa for two years due to threats against his life amid a violent crackdown on pro-democracy activists in Africa’s last absolute monarchy.
According to Pudemo, Makhanya is currently hospitalized in critical but stable condition. “Our president has been stabilized but remains in a critical state,” the party stated. In response, Eswatini’s government spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo, denied any state involvement, asserting, “The government does not kill or poison suspects.”
This incident comes just ahead of planned protests next month calling for multi-party elections in Eswatini, where political parties are banned from participating in the electoral process. King Mswati III has ruled the nation since 1986, often facing criticism for his lavish lifestyle and suppression of dissent, allegations his government consistently refutes.
Makhanya’s situation echoes past tragedies; last year, human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko, a vocal critic of the monarchy, was murdered in Mbabane, prompting widespread outrage. In September 2022, Makhanya’s home in Eswatini was targeted in a suspected firebomb attack attributed to state agents.
Reports indicate that Makhanya was poisoned early Tuesday morning in his Pretoria home by an unidentified young man, described by Pudemo as an “agent of evil intent” linked to the Swazi government. After the incident, he was transported to a hospital under police escort and later moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
In a press briefing, Pudemo deputy president Wandile Dludlu stated that “an extremely dangerous and fatal pesticide poison” was used in the attack, calling it a clear assassination attempt. The Eswatini government, however, maintains that its law enforcement operates under a strict code of ethics, insisting that suspects are apprehended alive and brought to justice.
Pudemo is calling for international support to ensure Makhanya’s safety during his recovery. The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), representing Swazi exiles in South Africa, condemned the attack as a blatant attempt on Makhanya’s life and urged the South African government to act against Swazi state agents targeting exiled activists.
As the political climate in Eswatini remains tense, opposition groups continue to hold the government accountable for the violence against pro-democracy advocates. Following protests in 2021, which began over police brutality and escalated into calls for political reform, at least 46 individuals lost their lives in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, a figure disputed by the government.
“This is a political fight between the oppressed masses and the traditional autocratic monarch,” Dludlu emphasized, affirming that Pudemo intends to move forward with its planned protests next month.
