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POLITICS-ZIMBABWE-MNANGAGWA
Zimbabwe president says hand grenade caused rally blast
HARARE, June 29, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa
has said a hand grenade was to blame for the election rally blast that killed
two people last week, state media reported Friday.
Mnangagwa, 75, narrowly avoided the explosion, which came weeks before
the election on July 30, the first poll since the ousting of long-time ruler
Robert Mugabe.
“You might be aware about the events that took place Saturday when a hand
grenade was thrown at me. But since you see me here that means I am now
fine,” Mnangagwa who was in Tanzania on a two-day visit was quoted as saying
by the Herald newspaper.
“That was a minor incident, we are going to proceed with elections,” he
added.
The paper reported that Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Environment
Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who were injured in the blast, have been
transferred to a hospital in South Africa. Their condition is described as
stable.
Investigations are underway into the blast, but security agencies have
declined to say if any arrests have been made.
Mnangagwa, who took power from Mugabe last November after a brief
military take-over, has accused aggrieved supporters of Mugabe’s wife Grace
of being behind the attack.
About 50 people were injured in the blast which occurred as Mnangagwa
left the podium after addressing supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party in
Bulawayo, the country’s second largest city.
BSS/AFP/RY/1715 hrs