By Zweli Martin Dlamini

PRETORIA:Mlungisi Makhanya,the eSwatini main opposition leader and President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) is recovering in a South African hospital, his political organization confirmed to this Swaziland News on Sunday morning.

The influential opposition leader was allegedly poisoned last week by a close comrade believed to be working with the eSwatini undemocratic regime,Makhanya was targeted ahead of the October planned protests seeking to intensify the calls for democracy in Africa’s last absolute Monarchy.

“We can confirm that,he is recovering and has re-gained speech”, said Penuel Malinga, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO).

But Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo has been vigorously denying that, the eSwatini regime was behind the poisoning of the PUDEMO leader.

Mlungisi Makhanya,the PUDEMO President was first attacked by King Mswati’s regime allegedly with State military weapons,his alternative home at Malindza was bombed and destroyed during the recent political unrest.

But information later emerged suggesting that,the State agents who bombed the house were suspecting that he was inside with his wife and children and, wanted to destroy and kill everything.

The eSwatini Government,through its Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo has been making threats suggesting that,political activists and human rights defenders hiding in South Africa will eventually be apprehended.

This comes after eSwatini State agents invaded the neighboring South Africa and abducted Thabo Kunene, the alleged Commander of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF), an alleged pro-democracy underground wing of the eSwatini Mass Democratic Movement(MDM).

The abduction of Kunene came after the killing of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko who was assassinated inside his home at Luyengo in the outskirts of Bhunya.

Political parties are banned in eSwatini and independent journalists,political activists and human rights defenders are arrested, tortured forced into exile or killed for criticizing the Government, demanding democracy.