Zimbabwe's president blames Grace Mugabe, says behind an attempt on his life

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has blamed last week's blast on wife of former president, Grace Mugabe saying 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 injured in an explosion near Mnangagwa at a rally in Bulawayo on Saturday.

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.

Grace 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.

Mnangagwa did not however accuse Grace Mugabe of being involved in the attempt on his life but 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.

BBC