Mnangagwa said Saturday’s explosion happened when an object “exploded a few inches away from me – but it is not my time”.
Mnangagwa says Zimbabwe election ‘to go ahead as planned’ despite ‘attempt on his life’
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the country’s general elections will go ahead as planned on 30 July, despite the bomb blast on Saturday which he said was an attempt on his life.
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At a rally in the city of Bulawayo, forty-one people got injured after the blast which occurred close to President Mnangagwa as he was leaving the stage.
The president was in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city and an opposition stronghold, to campaign for his Zanu-PF party ahead of the July election.
Officials said security arrangements would be reviewed.
The President Saturday’s explosion happened when an object “exploded a few inches away from me – but it is not my time”.
He said the violence was senseless and appealed for unity.
Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa also condemned the attack, saying any political violence was “totally unacceptable”.
Those hurt included two vice-presidents, the Zanu-PF party chairwoman, members of a state TV crew and security personnel.
The BBC said Mnangagwa is favourite to win the poll, but analysts say he also has enemies – both for overthrowing his former mentor, Robert Mugabe, and for being a previous enforcer of the Mugabe regime.
The elections are the first in Zimbabwe since Mr Mugabe was forced out after 37 years in power, and the first to be monitored by international observers since 2002. Mnangagwa has said the vote will be free and fair.
Campaigning has been dominated by economic issues.
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