Sithembiso Nyoni

Sithembiso Gile Gladys Nyoni (born 20 September 1949) is a Zimbabwean politician and in 2023 the Industry and Commerce minister. She was a Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development and the minister of Women and Youth Affairs. On 3 April 2025 Dr. Nyoni was removed from post by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Political career

In the March 2008 parliamentary election, Nyoni was elected to the House of Assembly as the ZANU-PF candidate in Nkayi North. She received 4,634 votes against 4,234 for Moyo Talent of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)-Mutambara faction and 1,075 for Mlilo Thembinkosi of the MDC-Tsvangirai faction.

The Herald reported on January 3, 2009, that Nyoni had been dismissed from the Cabinet earlier in the week, along with 11 other ministers, because she no longer held any seat in Parliament. This report was wrong as she was the MP for Nkayi North and was therefore still eligible to be a Minister. On 1 December 2017 President Emmerson Mnangagwa elected a new Cabinet, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni became the new Minister of Women and Youth Affairs.

She was on the United States sanctions list from 2003 until 2014.

In October 2023 she, as Industry and Commerce minister, was warning foreigners that they need a license to operate retail businesses.