Former Zimbabwean vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa arrives home, to be sworn in as president Friday

Former Zimbabwean vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa has arrived back in the country on Wednesday, and will be sworn in as president on Friday to replace Robert Mugabe.

The news was confirmed by a ruling ZANU-PF party official, Larry Mavhima on Wednesday.

Mnangagwa was sacked by former president, Robert Mugabe two weeks ago on allegation that he was trying to overthrow the government of Mugabe, a move which political analysts and Zimbabweans say was made to clear the way for his wife Grace to become the next vice president and subsequently the president. 

The 75-year-old Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe after Mugabe fired him, leading the military to take control of the country and kick off series of events ending in Mugabe stepping down on Tuesday amid impeachment proceedings.

Mnangagwa met with South African President Jacob Zuma in a jovial "courtesy call" before taking a private jet from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe's capital, Harare. He was said to arrive at ruling party headquarters, where he would be briefed by officials.

He will be sworn in as Zimbabwe's new president Friday morning, the speaker of parliament said, after the ruling ZANU-PF party notified him of its nomination of Mnangagwa to replace Mugabe until the end of the current term next year.

Supporters of Emmerson Mnangagwa, welocme him back to the country

Mugabe, 93 resigned as president on Tuesday, a week after the army and his former political allies moved to end his four decades of rule .

Mugabe who became president in 1980 following independence form colonial rule, was once feted as an independence hero.