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| Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa blames Grace Mugabe faction for blast | Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa blames Grace Mugabe faction for blast |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he suspects a group linked to the former first lady was behind an attempt on his life. | Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he suspects a group linked to the former first lady was behind an attempt on his life. |
| Two people died and more than 40 were hurt in an explosion near Mr Mnangagwa at a rally in Bulawayo on Saturday. | Two people died and more than 40 were hurt in an explosion near Mr Mnangagwa at a rally in Bulawayo on Saturday. |
| Mr Mnangagwa told the BBC's Fergal Keane that he suspected the G40 group, which supported Grace Mugabe for the presidency, had carried out the attack. | Mr Mnangagwa told the BBC's Fergal Keane that he suspected the G40 group, which supported Grace Mugabe for the presidency, had carried out the attack. |
| Mrs Mugabe's husband, Robert Mugabe, was forced from power last year. | Mrs Mugabe's husband, Robert Mugabe, was forced from power last year. |
| The army intervened to oppose Mrs Mugabe's attempt to succeed her husband as the country's leader, and the ruling Zanu-PF party then sacked Mr Mugabe, replacing him with Mr Mnangagwa. | The army intervened to oppose Mrs Mugabe's attempt to succeed her husband as the country's leader, and the ruling Zanu-PF party then sacked Mr Mugabe, replacing him with Mr Mnangagwa. |
| An exiled member of the G40 group, former government minister Jonathan Moyo, earlier tweeted that the blast "smacks of an inside job". | An exiled member of the G40 group, former government minister Jonathan Moyo, earlier tweeted that the blast "smacks of an inside job". |
| Mr Mnangagwa did not accuse Mrs Mugabe of being involved in the attempt on his life. | Mr Mnangagwa did not accuse Mrs Mugabe of being involved in the attempt on his life. |
| He told the BBC he expects arrests to be made shortly. | He told the BBC he expects arrests to be made shortly. |
| "I don't know whether it was one individual - I would think it is broader than one person. I would think this is a political action by some aggrieved persons," he said. | "I don't know whether it was one individual - I would think it is broader than one person. I would think this is a political action by some aggrieved persons," he said. |
| 'Soft as wool' | 'Soft as wool' |
| Mr Mnangagwa described Mrs Mugabe as someone who had frequently insulted him in the past. | Mr Mnangagwa described Mrs Mugabe as someone who had frequently insulted him in the past. |
| Who is Emmerson Mnangagwa? | Who is Emmerson Mnangagwa? |
| The 'crocodile' who snapped back | The 'crocodile' who snapped back |
| "On what basis would I trust someone who was used by a cabal to say things that had no basis?" he asked. | "On what basis would I trust someone who was used by a cabal to say things that had no basis?" he asked. |
| Nicknamed "the crocodile", Mr Mnangagwa has a reputation for being ruthless, but he told our correspondent: "I am as soft as wool. I am a very soft person in life, my brother. I'm a family person. I am a Christian." | |
| Despite the apparent attempt on his life, Mr Mnangagwa said there would be no countrywide security clampdown and elections scheduled for 30 July would go ahead in a free and fair manner. | Despite the apparent attempt on his life, Mr Mnangagwa said there would be no countrywide security clampdown and elections scheduled for 30 July would go ahead in a free and fair manner. |
| Zimbabwe was stable and that foreign investors should not worry, he said. | Zimbabwe was stable and that foreign investors should not worry, he said. |
| Representatives of Zanu-PF, the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and other parties signed a peace pledge on Tuesday, promising to avoid violence and hate speech during campaigning. | Representatives of Zanu-PF, the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and other parties signed a peace pledge on Tuesday, promising to avoid violence and hate speech during campaigning. |
| The MDC's Nelson Chamisa is expected to be Mr Mnangagwa's main challenger in the election. He has also condemned the attack in Bulawayo. | The MDC's Nelson Chamisa is expected to be Mr Mnangagwa's main challenger in the election. He has also condemned the attack in Bulawayo. |