Zimbabwe journalist Hopewell Chin'ono tweeted on Monday afternoon that he had just spoken to Sikhala's wife, 'who said the political prisoner is recovering, but is still in deep pain and struggling to walk'.

Outspoken Zimbabwe opposition MP Job Sikhala, who has been detained without trial for nearly three months in Harare's notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, seems to be in a stable condition after suspected poisoning on Saturday.

Sikhala, an MP of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) -- formerly the MDC -- was "extremely sick" on Sunday, according to CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere. She said Sikhala's wife, Ellen, had told her he could not walk on Sunday. "Today [Monday] he complained of burning stomach pain and general weakness in his body.

"Arrangements are being made to get him private medical attention to ensure his life is not in danger and to establish exactly what is wrong."

Sikhala's lawyer Doug Coltart told Daily Maverick that he had gone to Chikurubi with a doctor to try to see Sikhala on Monday. "But he wasn't there at the prison as he'd been transferred to court [on another matter] so we missed him.

" I don't think he has been seen to by...