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An explosion occured at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Saturday during a campaign rally by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Although the president escaped unhurt, others were injured and have been hospitalised.
The government has called the incident an assassination attempt on the president.
“Investigations are underway and more details will be given to the public,” presidential spokesman George Charamba said, according to the state-run newspaper The Herald. “There have been multiple attempts on the President’s life over the past five years.”
In a tweet later in the day, President Mnangagwa said: “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.
“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.
“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.”
Zimbabwe will hold residential elections next month for the first since the country’s military forced Robert Mugabe out of office in an apparent coup last November.