Efforts by Zimbabwe’s banned Daily News newspaper to get back on the streets hit another snag on Thursday when the paper was told to provide more details before it can receive a licence from the state media commission, an executive for the paper said.
There had been hopes that the newspaper — once the most popular in Zimbabwe — would be given a licence to publish when top Daily News officials met the chairperson of the state-appointed Media and Information Commission.
Daily News chief executive Samuel Nkomo said he and other company executives held a ”long but cordial” meeting with Tafataona Mahoso, the chairperson of the commission, but were told the paper had to provide details about its finances and shareholders before a licence could be issued.
”They need us to supply them with a market analysis, financial projections and details of the shareholders who own Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe,” the publishers of the Daily News, he said.
Armed police shut down the newspaper’s offices and seized office equipment in September 2003 after a court ruled that it was publishing illegally.
The paper had taken a stand against registration required under strict new press laws. It argued the requirement was unconstitutional, but the country’s Supreme Court upheld the law, resulting in the paper’s forced closure.
Numerous court attempts to get the paper back onto the streets have failed in the past two years.
In March, the newspaper made a fresh application for registration to the media commission, and Thursday’s meeting was held to discuss that application.
Nkomo said on Thursday that he was optimistic he could obtain all the information needed by the media commission by early next week.
He said he had high hopes the popular tabloid would return to the streets.
”I’m an optimist,” he said. ”Whatever happens, I think we’ll get a licence.”
Zimbabwe’s record on freedom of expression has been under the spotlight in recent years.
Four newspapers have been closed since the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was signed by President Robert Mugabe in 2002. Dozens of journalists have been arrested.
Independent journalists and international media watchdogs have called on the Zimbabwe government to repeal the law, which they describe as draconian.
Just weeks ahead of disputed parliamentary elections held on March 31, three veteran foreign correspondents fled the country in the wake of harassment and threats from the government. – Sapa-DPA