Do not make the mistake of thinking that because my conclusion is the same as another person's that my reasoning is the same
Andrew Meldrum in Pretoria
Sunday September 21, 2003
The Observer
Zimbabwe's largest daily newspaper was closed down yesterday when President Robert Mugabe's government refused to issue the licence needed to publish. By shutting down the country's only privately owned daily publication, the Mugabe regime has struck a blow at the country's struggling free press, which is left with just a couple of independent weekly papers.
The Daily News has been shut for the past week and police seized the paper's computers and other equipment in defiance of a high court order that the paper should be allowed to publish.
News editors and reporters had been trying desperately to print a paper by alternative means, but by denying the paper a licence the Government yesterday finally and firmly closed every door. Under Zimbabwe's severe press restrictions it would be illegal for any business to give assistance to an unregistered paper.