HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed Sithembiso Gile Gladys Nyoni from her position as Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife with immediate effect.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, in an official statement citing constitutional provisions.
“His Excellency the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has, in terms of section 340, subsection (1), paragraph (f), as read with section 108, subsection (1), paragraph (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, removed Honourable Sithembiso Gile Gladys Nyoni from the position of Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife with immediate effect,” read the statement.
No official reason was provided for Nyoni’s removal. However, a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that the move was part of an ongoing Cabinet restructuring aimed at enhancing efficiency in the government’s environmental and climate policies.
The Office of the President and Cabinet reaffirmed that the government remains committed to ensuring stability and continuity in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife. “The President is dedicated to strengthening governance and ensuring that ministries function effectively in alignment with national priorities,” a statement from the Office of the President said.
Nyoni, a veteran politician, had served in various ministerial roles since the late 1990s, including as Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development before taking up her latest appointment in September 2023.
Her dismissal comes amid growing calls for accountability in environmental governance and climate policy implementation. It remains to be seen who will be appointed as her replacement in the crucial portfolio overseeing Zimbabwe’s environmental and climate strategies.
Further developments are expected as the government moves to restructure key positions in the administration.
