File photo:Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa(AFP)

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa survived a blast at a ruling ZANU-PF party rally Saturday, his spokesman said, adding that he had been taken to safety after the incident.

"The president was evacuated successfully. He is at state house in Bulawayo," said Mnangagwa's spokesman George Charamba. "We suspect it's an explosion, certainly it was close to the VVIP stage."