HARARE – Former vice president Joice Mujuru was on Thursday forced to deny that she had been offered a path back into Zanu PF following a meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The claim was made by exiled former minister Jonathan Moyo, who said on Twitter that Mujuru had been made an offer to replace the ailing Constantino Chiwenga as vice president.

“After having led and coordinated Joice Mujuru’s ouster from 2008 until he succeeded her as vice president in December 2014, Emmerson Mnangagwa has put the cat among the pigeons by offering Mujuru the VP post currently held by Chiwenga. She’s happy to accept,” Moyo tweeted.

Responding to Moyo, Mujuru said curtly: “You are surely misinformed.”

Moyo did not back down from the claim, which he said came from “impeccable sources”.

He responded to Mujuru: “There’s no need to push the envelope here, unless it becomes necessary. I understand your position. It’s too early to come out. But it’s a known fact that the two of you met recently and that he sorted your pension issues out, before making the offer.”

Moyo, seemingly suggesting that it would be a mistake if Mujuru took up the offer, said Mnangagwa “led Joice Mujuru’s ouster” as the two politicians sought to position themselves to succeed the late former president Robert Mugabe.

“It all started in 2004, got nasty in 2008, cost Solomon Mujuru’s life in 2011 and ended with Joice’s ouster as VP in December 2014. Mnangagwa benefited as her successor,” Moyo maintained.

Joice Mujuru was dropped as vice president by Mugabe after Mnangagwa, helped by Mugabe’s wife Grace, the military and top party leaders including Moyo led a campaign of vilification against her using party organs and the state media.

There has been jostling in Zanu PF over Chiwenga’s post following his extended treatment for suspected poisoning in China. Some in Zanu PF have begun to believe that he might never sufficiently recover to return to his position.

Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri has been tipped for the role, and has been pushing the Zanu PF women’s league to campaign for one of the two vice president positions to be reserved for a woman.

But Moyo says that Muchinguri, a Manyika, will not get the vice presidency on account of tribe as Mnangagwa will seek to appoint a Zezuru from the same tribe as Mugabe and Chiwenga.

“Mnangagwa needs a Zezuru VP. For Oppah to be in the mix, she’ll need to find a way to be Zezuru. Simple,” Moyo said.