ZIMBABWE’S President Emmerson Mnangagwa says he narrowly survived an attempt on his life, after a blast at a party rally that injured two of his vice-presidents and several party officials.

Health Minister David Parirenyatwa said fifteen people were hurt, three of them seriously, in the explosion during an election campaign event in Zimbabwe’s second city Bulawayo over the weekend.Footage circulating on social media showed an explosion and plumes of smoke around the president, as he descended stairs from the podium at the city’s White City stadium.

Mnangagwa suggested he was the target of the attack, which he said also injured Vice-Presidents Kembo Mohadi and Constantino Chiwenga. “I am used to these attempts,” Mnangagwa told state media, adding that an object “exploded a few inches away from me —but it is not my time”.