Zimbabwe’s VP Injured As Explosion Rocks President’s Rally

Emmerson Mnangagwa the president of Zimbabwe has survived a blast at a ruling ZANU-PF party rally today, while one of his vice-presidents and two other party officials were wounded.

Vice President Kemo Mohadi, ZANU-PF chairwoman and cabinet minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and party secretary Engelbert Rugeje were injured, state broadcaster ZBC said.

A number of other people were also hurt in the explosion during the election campaign event in Zimbabwe’s second city Bulawayo, according to witnesses, but no official toll has yet emerged.

Footage circulating online show an explosion and plumes of smoke around the president as he descended stairs from the podium at the White City stadium. Images broadcast on Zimbabwean TV showed scenes of chaos and medics fighting to save those wounded by the blast

“The president was evacuated successfully. He is at state house in Bulawayo,” said Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba.

“We suspect it’s an explosion, certainly it was close to the VVIP stage.”