'Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Zimbabwean president, said he narrowly survived an attempt on his life on Saturday after a explosion at a party rally that injured two of his vice-presidents and several party officials.
He described to state media how an object "exploded a few inches away from me - but it is not my time".
Video footage showed plumes of smoke surrounding the president as he was hustled away from the scene, down stairs from the podium at White City stadium in Bulawayo, the country's second city and an opposition stronghold.
Fifteen people were hurt, three of them seriously, according to David Parirenyatwa, the health minister.
Mr Mnangagwa later said he had visited some of the injured in hospital and pleaded for unity ahead of elections next month.
"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," Mr Mnangagwa said in a Facebook post.
George Charamba, a government spokesman, said investigations were under way and that there have been “multiple attempts” on Mr Mnangagwa’s life over the years.
He took power in November when Robert Mugabe stepped down after 37 years in office under intense pressure from the army.'
Read more: President of Zimbabwe survives 'assassination attempt' in Bulawayo
