Zimbabwean newspaper shuts down

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The Zimbabwean, which was launched in 2005 to aid MDC-T's regime change agenda, was not grounded in the local market as it relied on donor funding to remain afloat.

The paper was printing outside the country and donors were generous with their purse after being convinced that it would offer an alternative voice that could sway people from Zanu-PF.

However, donors dumped the paper recently after discovering that it was a spent force with no strategy to succeed in its mission.

Zimbabwean publisher, Wilf Mbanga announced that yesterday's edition was the last copy of the paper. He confirmed that the paper was surviving on handouts from the donor community.

"We also wish to record our grateful thanks to the many donors from many different nations who provided the monetary support for us to be able to produce a paper in an economy characterised by fear -- where advertisers were too afraid to support us," said Mbanga.

"The donors made it possible for us to supply news to impoverished rural communities who could not afford to pay for a copy -- but who desperately needed access to independent, accurate information. Millions of "priceless" copies were distributed for free in the rural areas -- thanks to a network of supportive NGOs and individuals who assisted with distribution to the furthest corners of the nation -- often at great personal risk."

Mbanga said his paper would now only be available online. Mbanga claimed that his operations were crippled by the State after it allegedly torched a truck loaded with the paper.