HARARE, June 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 41 people were injured in a blast that rocked a campaign rally for Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the country's second-largest city of Bulawayo on Saturday, health authorities said.
Health Minister David Parirenyatwa said late Saturday that there were no fatalities although some of the injured required "serious surgery."
"We have 25 people at Mpilo hospital, 12 at Mater Dei and four at United Bulawayo Hospital, giving us a total of 41 who have so far approached our health institutions complaining of injuries," Parirenyatwa said.
He said there will be a consolidated figure of the injured on Sunday.
The blast occurred shortly after Mnangagwa finished his speech at the rally.
The Zimbabwean leader escaped unhurt, but several senior government officials attending the event were injured and taken to the hospital.
Among those injured were Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who suffered wounds in his legs, and ZANU-PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who had wounds in the chest area, the state-run Sunday Mail newspaper reported.
Soon after the blast, Mnangagwa said the attack was by his "mortal enemies" who have made numerous attempts on his life.
Such cowardly acts will not deter him from campaigning for the July 30 elections, Mnangagwa said.
In a message posted on his Facebook page Saturday night, Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to remain united and address their political differences peacefully.
"The campaign so far 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," he said.
Mnangagwa visited the injured and offered words of comfort, before issuing a televised speech in which he asked the nation to remain calm and overcome such acts of evil with love.
He told the state broadcaster ZBC that the blast had nothing to do with the people of Bulawayo, but rather his "mortal enemies."
"The people from Bulawayo were happy to see me and I was happy to see them. The people of Bulawayo, I love them and they love me. It's people outside Bulawayo I can assure you," he said.
"It's not the first attempt on my life. It does not scare me, I'm used to it. Six times my office has been broken into; cyanide was put in my offices so many times. I will continue," he added.
Police said an investigation into the rally blast is underway.
The British and U.S. embassies have since condemned the violence, which comes a few weeks before elections that are being held in the presence of Western observers for the first time since 2002.
