ANC CONDEMNS BLASTS IN BULAWAYO AND ADDIS ABABA

The African National Congress condemns in the strongest possible terms the detonation of an explosive device at the ZANU-PF rally in White City Stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and the deadly blast that occurred at a rally in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

The bomb explosion missed the President of Zimbabwe Emerson Mnangagwa by a few inches whilst ZANU-PF Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and many others were left injured. 

In Addis Ababa, at least one person was killed and eight others critically injured from an explosion at a rally that was attended by the new Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed. 

The ANC views these as barbaric and cowardice acts of assassination attempts and deliberate ploys to destabilize and create disunity and confusion in our sister African countries.

These coward and barbaric acts have no place towards a peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa that is transforming and seeks to accelerate initiatives for growth and sustainable development. They must be utterly condemned and not be allowed to spread and to be assimilated anywhere. 

We join the call on the police and security agencies in these countries to find the perpetrators of these heinous and backwards acts and to bring them to book. 

We  further call on all communities on the continent and here at home to be vigilant and to report any suspicious acts to the police and security agencies. We must not allow our countries to be taken back to the use of violence and assassinations as a means to silence political opponents and those who occupy different positions to us. 

Africa must continue rising through friendship and be at peace with itself and the world, and we should not use violence and destabilization mechanisms to resolve our political or any other differences amongst us. 

We pass our deepest and sincere condolences to the family, close friends and comrades of the deceased, and we wish a speedy recovery and good health to all those injured. 

Statement issued by Pule Mabe, ANC national spokesperson, 24 June 2018