Zimbabwe's former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as president on Friday following the resignation of Robert Mugabe after nearly four decades in power, state broadcaster ZBC reported on Wednesday.

Mnangagwa, who fled for his safety after Mugabe sacked him two weeks ago, will land back in Zimbabwe at 6pm (1600 GMT) at Manyame Airbase in Harare, ZBC said. 

Speaker Jacob Mudenda said the ruling party ZANU-PF had informed him it has nominated Mnangagwa to fill the vacancy of the office of president, replacing the 93-year-old Mugabe who had clung on for a week after an army takeover.