Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa narrowly survived a bomb blast at a ZANU-PF rally he was addressing in Bulawayo on Saturday afternoon.
Mnangagwa was speaking at an election rally at White City Stadium ahead of the country's tightly-contested national elections next month.
Sources say that Mnangagwa was whisked to safety by his security detail.
It’s unknown whether he was hurt in the blast which reportedly injured several ZANU-PF supporters.
A source close to the president told TimesLIVE that Mnangagwa was "safe".
The state-owned Zimbabwe Herald reported that Mnangagwa was unhurt and had been successfully evacuated.
It quoted presidential spokesman George Charamba as saying: “President Mnangagwa has not been injured and is at Bulawayo State House. Investigations are underway and more details will be given to the public. There have been multiple attempts on the President’s life over the past five years.”
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was also reported to be safe‚ it said. It added that several people were said to have been injured but that the extent of the injuries had not yet been established.
“The area around the VIP stage has been cordoned off and security personnel are collecting evidence.
Vice President Kembo Mohadi suffered leg injuries in the bomb blast. Minister of Water‚ Environment and Climate Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri was also injured. The two senior Government officials are admitted at a local hospital. Several security personnel attached to VIPs are also injured.
President Mnangagwa's spokesperson said investigations are already underway and this is not the first time that an attempt to kill Mnangagwa has been attempted.
"Investigations are under way and more details will be given to the public. There have been multiple attempts on the president’s life over the past five years.”
Footage posted online showed Mnangagwa waving to the crowd, turning to step off the podium and walking into the open-sided VIP tent, where seconds later the explosion occurred. People ducked and screamed and smoke billowed. State television immediately cut its broadcast.
President Mnangagwa escapes assassination attempt pic.twitter.com/WrH3FXPylv
— The Herald Zimbabwe (@HeraldZimbabwe) June 23, 2018
This afternoon, as we were leaving a wonderful rally in Bulawayo, there was an explosion on the stage. Several people were affected by the blast, and I have already been to visit them in the hospital.
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) June 23, 2018
Mnangagwa is safe and was taken to the state house.
Vice presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi and a minister sustained minor injuries following the blast.
"There has been an incident at Bulawayo where the president was addressing a rally. This is now a police issue but the president is safe at Bulawayo State House," spokesman George Charamba told Reuters.
While we await further information, my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this senseless act of violence. The campaign has been conducted in a free and peaceful environment, and we will not allow this cowardly act to get in our way as we move towards elections.
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) June 23, 2018
"We are still to get information on what exactly happened as we understand that some people could have been injured as this happened in the VIP tent."
National Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said she did not have details on the incident.
Let us continue to be united and address our differences peacefully. The strongest response to violence is peace. The strongest response to hate is love. God Bless Zimbabwe
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) June 23, 2018
