Blast rocks Zimbabwe President’s election rally

An explosion rocked a stadium where Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was addressing a campaign rally on Saturday, state media reported, adding he was not injured and had been evacuated from the scene.

Mnangagwa was taken safely at a state house in the city of Bulawayo, where he had been speaking before next month’s election, .

Witnesses said the blast happened when Mnangagwa had just finished addressing the crowd and was leaving the podium. They also added the explosion was close to the VIP tent.

Several people appeared to be injured, and footage showed medical staff rushing to the scene. State television immediately cut its broadcast.

The explosion came just hours after a similar attack in Ethiopia, where a blast killed at least one person and injured scores just after the new prime minister addressed a huge rally in the capital.

Presidential spokesman George Charamba told the Zimbabwe Herald that investigations were under way, adding that there have been multiple attempts on Mnangagwa’s life over the years.

Mnangagwa took power in November after his former ally, longtime leader Robert Mugabe, stepped down under military pressure.

Source: AP

-Agencies